Esther, the Royal 




Class 6X 7c 



Book 






GopyrightU . 



COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 



ESTHER, THE EOYAL TEACHER 



A STORY OF A DEVOUT, CONSISTENT AND CONSE- 
CRATED TEACHER AND THE TEACHING OF THE 
NEW TESTAMENT AS BELIEVED, TAUGHT AND 
PRACTICED BY THE CHURCH OF GOD OF NORTH 
AMERICA 



C. D. RISHEL 



w 

A MINISTER OF THE EAST PENNSYLVANIA ELDERSHIP OF THE CHURCH OF GOD 



Published by Permission of the Board of Publication of the 
General Eldership of the Church of God of North America 



MOUNT JOY, PA. 

PUBLISHED BY THE AUTHOR 

1914 



35X7035 
^5 



Copyright, 1914 
By C. D. Rishel 



\±r 



PRESS OF 

THE NEW ERA PRINTING COMPANY 

LANCASTER, PA 



APR -7 1914 

©CI.A369579 



/ 



INSCRIBED 

To the Young People, the Sunday Schools 

and Christian Endeavor Societies 

or the Church of God; 

and to All Earnest Searchers 

for the Truth as Revealed in the 

NEW TESTAMENT SCRIPTURES; 

With a Sincere Desire that 
it may be Helpful to All. 



INTRODUCTION. 



During a number of years the author keenly felt that 
we, as a church, need to present to our young people in 
some comprehensive form the distinctive doctrine of the 
Churches of God of the General Eldership of North 
America. 

Patiently he awaited such a work; but it did not appear. 

Finally he was impressed to make the effort himself, 
but he felt his inability. At last two years ago this 
impression became a burden, — a responsibility which he 
no longer could shirk. He believed that by presenting 
our teaching in a story-form it would be more readily 
read, and more vivid impression would be made. 

Hence, before he began the story of "Esther, The 
Royal Teacher," and during the writing of each suc- 
ceeding chapter, he earnestly prayed for guidance and a 
charitable spirit. 

To his mind the story beautifully unfolded itself, as he 
wrote it, originally, for our excellent Sunday School 
Gem, Brother W. A. Laverty, the able editor at once 
became interested in it; and when the story appeared 
in the Gem issue of January 1, 1912, and continued in 
fifteen consecutive issues, he editorially said some very 
encouraging words. 

During this time numerous words of commendation 
and letters of kindly expression came to the writer. 

And shortly following the final chapter, Rev. George 
Sigler, D.D., possibly the longest ordained minister of 
the Church of God, wrote this for the Gem. 



VI INTKODUCTION. 

"Dear Editor Gem: I want to express my very high 
appreciation of Brother Rishel's articles on the above 
theme. I have read them with great interest. I do 
not see how he could have produced them with such a 
remarkable line of useful matter to the young Christian 
other than by the guidance and help of the Holy Spirit. 
While the Gem has had much that was useful, to my 
mind Brother Rishel's articles have met a need that has 
never been supplied so successfully. It is a remarkable 
leading of the young Christian from the beginning of 
the new life on into church membership through the 
ordinances as we practice them and on to the well estab- 
lished Christian. 

I believe the Board of Publication would do a good 
thing to have the whole published in book form and 
preserved for future usefulness. 

Nothing has as yet been published that meets a need 
among our young people as this has and will. 

Geo. Sigler." 

The writer has been repeatedly urged to publish the 
story in book form. At last by the Providence of God 
the opportunity presented itself. 

This story of "Esther, The Royal Teacher " is now 
presented to the Churches of God with the sincere 
desire that it may accomplish much good, along with the 
Bible, in educating our young people in the faith, doctrine 
and practice of the Churches of God; that they may be 
rooted and grounded in the Truth; and thus prevented 
from drifting, or be blown about by every wind of 
doctrine. 

His ardent prayer is that Jesus Christ, the head of 
the Church, may bless this humble effort. 

Mount Joy, Pa., March 17, 1914. 



CONTENTS. 



Chapter. Page. 

Introduction v 

I. — The Perplexed Superintendent 1 

II. — Class No. 10 and Its Royal Teacher 9 

III. — Getting in Touch with Her Class 17 

IV.— Winning Class No. 10 for Christ 25 

V. — Class No. 10 Won and Instructed in Holy 

Living 32 

VI.— What Church Shall I Join? 39 

VII. — Searching the Scripture with Class No. 10 . . 47 

VIII.— Seeking for Light by Class No. 10 55 

IX.— Seeking to Know God's Will 62 

X.— Why Class No. 10 Desired to be Baptized . . 69 
XL — Class No. 10 Following in Jesus' Footsteps. . 77 

XII. — A Vision of Submissive Obedience 85 

XIIL— Joy of Humility 93 

XIV.— "His Burden is Easy; His Yoke is Light" . . 102 
XV.— Can the Lord Depend on Me? 110 



ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 



CHAPTER I. 

The Perplexed Superintendent. 

On a Saturday evening near the close of the old year, 
Austin Sigler, Superintendent of the Green Street 
Sunday-school, arose from his knees, where he had been 
praying for the betterment of the Sunday-school. 

As a wise and devoted Superintendent, who had the 
spiritual welfare of the school resting heavily upon his 
big heart, he often prayed for the school, often naming 
class after class and each pupil separately. 

This Saturday evening his prayer was more than 
usually earnest. Two weeks more and New Year will 
be ushered in, and with it a thousand and more re- 
sponsibilities, and as many splendid opportunities for 
great services. As he thought about the Sunday-school 
he felt that the year just closing showed many golden 
moments which went to waste, and thousands of good 
acts which were left to die for want of attention. The 
Sunday-school stood before him as a mighty burden. 
He thought of the value of every soul in the school; of 
the importance of having consecrated teachers who 
carefully and prayerfully studied their lessons and tact- 
fully taught their classes and tried to win their pupils to 
the Savior. He lamented the fact that a number of the 
teachers neglected to lead their pupils to Christ, and 
failed to instruct others in the truth as believed, taught 

1 



Z ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 

and practiced by the church. Then he thought of one 
particular class known as Class Number 10, consisting 
of five promising girls of from twelve to fifteen years of 
age, which was without a regular teacher, and every one 
of them never professed faith in Jesus as their Savior. 
This greatly distressed the warm-hearted Superintendent. 

If you never heard a loving Superintendent pray, you 
should have listened to this one. O, how he entreated 
God for Jesus' sake, to save this class, and to assist him 
to secure the right kind of a godly teacher. How long 
he prayed, he did not know. But suddenly he exclaimed, 
" Blessed Jesus, do, for the sake of those dear girls and 
in thy blessed name help me to find a teacher, which 
thou dost approve, for this class." During a few 
minutes he knelt motionless and in deep meditation. 
A feeling of peace and satisfaction filled his soul; when 
it seemed as if an angel talked, saying, "Go and talk it 
over with your pastor." 

This seemed strange to him and contrary to his 
custom, for he had an idea that the pastor had no need 
to be consulted. That he was Superintendent, and 
would run the school as he saw fit. Now to consult the 
pastor was rather more than he could do. His feelings 
rebelled against this idea; when a cloud of darkness fell 
upon him. Now he could neither pray nor meditate. 
At last he said to himself: "What! I go and talk it 
over with the pastor? Never! never!" There he was 
hanging between two fires, until in the anguish of his 
soul he cried, "0, Lord, what shall I do?" Again, the 
soft answer came, " Go and talk it over with your pastor." 
"Dear Lord, thou knowest that I cannot," the Super- 
intendent replied. "How can I do it? I cannot, I can- 
not go." "Do you love Class Number 10, and are you 



ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 6 

anxious to win it for my sake?" something seemed to 
whisper. 

After a short struggle between self-will and Jesus' 
will, he called out, "I will, Jesus help me." When he 
heard a gentle voice say, "Go, brother, my grace is 
sufficient. Go, go." 

Superintendent Sigler arose from his knees and 
quickly put on his overshoes, overcoat and hat and 
hurried out of the house. As he stood on the porch, a 
cold rain and snow storm was sweeping down Green 
street. This deterred him not. It was a continuous 
whisper, "Go! go! go!" 

Fifteen minutes later there was a sharp "Ting, a-ling, 
ting-ling" of the doorbell of the parsonage. Pastor 
Charles Hoover had just laid aside the book entitled, 
"The Christian Ordinances," by C. H. Forney, D.D., 
which he had been reading. 

"I wonder who that is calling at this late hour on a 
Saturday evening," he thought. 

Alice, his only daughter, answered the ring and 
gently opened the door, when, to her surprise, she saw 
her Superintendent. "Come in," she exclaimed. "This 
is a real surprise to have you call to see us, and in par- 
ticular so late this evening." 

Following a few words, Mr. Sigler said, "I came to 
see your father on important business." 

Quickly he was ushered into the presence of his pastor, 
who stood at the door of his study to welcome the 
Superintendent. As he extended his hand of welcome 
he exclaimed, "This certainly is an agreeable surprise 
to receive a call from you." 

"No doubt it is, pastor, but I simply had to come," 
the Superintendent answered. Following a few words 



4 ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 

of welcoming and remarks about the weather, Mr. Sigler 
laid bare before his pastor the one great burden, and 
the perplexing question of finding a good teacher for 
Class Number 10. " Pastor," he exclaimed with a great 
degree of earnestness, "this class of promising girls so 
greatly burdens my soul that I am almost bound by a 
cord, infinite and divine, to find the best of teachers 
within the limits of Green Street church. We need a 
tactful teacher, a pious teacher, a studious teacher, 
a — a — now I have it, a Royal teacher, a teacher called 
of God." 

"May God bless you, my dear Brother Sigler," the 
pastor enthusiastically exclaimed. "Can you find no 
one who will measure up to your royal standard?" 

"I cannot, dear pastor," Mr. Sigler sadly answered. 
"I have made it a matter of prayer, and a gentle voice 
said, 'Go and talk it over with your pastor.' For this 
cause I came to consult you. Now I am here to learn 
what the Lord has put in your heart for me to do for 
Class Number 10." 

"God's Spirit moves in mysterious ways, and let us 
trust he moves in this case," suggested the pastor. "Let 
us first get in touch with Christ, and ask him to guide 
us aright. You pray first and I will conclude." 

Here Superintendent and pastor alone in that study 
prayed as they have seldom prayed before. They prayed 
for wisdom, for grace, for help and for a Royal teacher. 
They prayed as one man, for one purpose, in one Spirit. 
As they arose from their knees Pastor Hoover cried out, 
"I have found her. I have found the Royal teacher." 

"Thank God," cried Superintendent Sigler, "who is 
he, or she?" After meditating a moment to be certain 
that it was a revelation from above, he exclaimed, 



ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 5 

"Sister Esther Forney. She is in my organized adult 
Bible class. She is the most alert pupil I have. She is 
studious, she is a true Christian and a remarkable girl 
in many ways. I think she is past twenty, but her 
conduct is more of a woman of twenty-eight or thirty. 
She is a diligent searcher after truth. The Bible is her 
daily companion. She reads good books. She is an 
ardent believer in the truth as taught and practiced by 
the churches of God. During this year she called 
several times for the loan of several of my books, among 
them was this book I laid aside when you rung, 'The 
Christian Ordinances,' by Dr. Forney. She also read 
Winebrenner's 'Doctrinal and Practical Sermons/ and 
'Robert Woodknow's Difficulties,' by Charles F. Reitzel. 
She is very particular to learn God's truth, and carefully 
reads the Scriptures to know what God's word teaches 
concerning what we teach. She does not think it right 
to do a thing merely because it is the rule of the church. 
While she is a firm believer in God's truth as she sees it, 
she has a most charitable heart for all those who differ 
with her. Some time ago I suggested to her the im- 
portance of becoming a teacher in our Sunday-school. 
She assured me that as soon as she believed God called 
her to this work she would cheerfully respond." 

"Pastor," exclaimed the delighted Superintendent, 
"this certainly is joyful news for me. Why was it that 
I never thought of Sister Esther Forney in connection 
with teaching in this Sunday-school? My thought of 
her was 'what a noble woman she would be to become 
the wife of a missionary to India.' O, pastor, you have 
no idea what a heavy burden you have lifted from my 
soul. I feel now that there is hope for the salvation of 
Class Number 10." 



6 ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 

" Brother Sigler," solemnly began the pastor, " While 
this is joyful new to you, I fear there is danger that you 
may place too much confidence in her and let go your 
dependence on the Holy Spirit. Sister Forney, by the 
grace of God, may be the instrument in God's hand to do 
great things for Class Number 10. We believe we have 
the right teacher for the right class, yet let us not forget 
that God's Holy Spirit must be back of it, otherwise all 
is a failure." 

" Thank you, pastor," replied the Superintendent, "I 
fear, at times, that in my zeal I look too much at signs 
and outlooks and not enough on God's help." 

"True, my brother," the pastor suggested. "This is 
too often the case. Under no circumstances can we 
leave God out of our actions and undertakings. We 
read in God's word that we are to 'Trust in the Lord 
with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own under- 
standing. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he 
shall direct thy paths.' Suppose we shall have another 
short time of prayer, asking our blessed Savior to open 
our way in this case and prepare Sister Forney to consent 
to teach this class." 

For a brief time both engaged in silent prayer and 
then in two softly audible prayers. As they arose, 
the Superintendent heard the clock striking eleven. 
"Brother Hoover," said the Superintendent, "Eleven 
o'clock. Is it possible. Have I been here nearly two 
hours? These have been the most blessed hours I experi- 
enced for years. I shall now make a confession, which 
I feel is due to you. Ever since I have been chosen 
Superintendent of this school, nearly five years ago, I 
always conceited that I was able to conduct a Sunday- 
school without either consulting my pastor or permitting 



ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 7 

him to dictate to me. I now discover my folly and error. 
Pastor, I truly feel penitent for my false notion, and 
humbly beg you from now on to feel that you and I, 
by the grace of God, shall work together for the best 
interest of the school and the glory of God. Pardon me 
if at any time you felt that I have slighted you." 

"0, never mind, dear brother," the pastor inter- 
rupted him. "You can rest assured I shall always 
assist you whenever you need me. You, by His help, 
have conducted the school admirably. I feel greatly 
encouraged to learn that you have the salvation of souls 
burdening your heart. This is a hopeful sign that 
God's Holy Spirit is reviving the school and church, 
and under His guidance we certainly can look for a 
gracious work of salvation in our school. May God 
grant it." 

"Amen! Amen!" cried the Superintendent. 

Before the two parted that memorable Saturday 
night, it was agreed that each should make specific 
prayer between then and Lord's day after the close of 
the Sunday-school session when they would hold a con- 
sultation with Esther Forney. 

On the same Saturday evening Sister Esther Forney 
was sitting in her cozy corner in her room reading in the 
Acts concerning the conversion of Paul. When she read 
Paul's exclamation to the voice from heaven, "Lord, 
what wilt thou have me to do?" a feeling came over her 
to do something to please her Savior. She exclaimed 
quite loudly, "And Lord Jesus, what wilt thou have me 
to do?" Her soul became overwhelmed with a great 
desire to be of service. While musing she picked up a 
Sunday-school book of hymns, and happened to open at 
the hymn beginning with " I gave my life for thee." Softly 



8 ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 

she sung until she reached "What hast thou given to 
me," when a flood of tears filled her eyes and a sense of 
ingratitude her heart, and she exclaimed, " Blessed Jesus, 
what hast thou for me to do?" 

"Wait, my child, a call will come," seemed to fill her 
thoughts. She then prayed for guidance and wisdom. 

The following day, after the close of the Sunday-school 
she noticed her pastor and Superintendent conversing, 
and one of them looking towards her. She was in the 
act of moving toward the door when the Superintendent 
asked a boy to "Please ask Esther Forney to come to us." 

"Miss Esther! Miss Esther!" cried the boy as he 
reached her side, "Mr. Sigler wishes to see you." 

"Thanks," she exclaimed, "I'll be there in a moment." 



CHAPTER II. 
Class No. 10 and Its Royal Teacher. 

Asking her companion to wait on her, she walked up 
to the two interested men, when Mr. Sigler informed her 
that Class No. 10 had been without a regular teacher 
for quite a time, and that something ought to be done 
to secure one. "Last evening," he said, "I called on 
our pastor and made known to him how greatly per- 
plexed I was regarding the class. Together we prayed, 
when he informed me that he knew one who is eminently 
fitted for the class, and then named you. Sister Forney, 
it seems that the Lord is in this movement. I now wish 
to ask you, by the approval of our pastor, to consent to 
teach that class; and may the grace of Jesus Christ ever 
aid you. Will you consent, and on next Lord's day 
assume your position?" 

For at least a minute she steadfastly looked toward 
the floor. The event of last evening flashed through 
her mind. "Can it be," she thought, "that the Master 
has need of me so soon? Is this my splendid opportunity 
to show my love for him who died for me?" Then in 
silent prayer she said, "Jesus, is it thy will?" The next 
moment she turned her cheerful face toward pastor and 
Superintendent and exclaimed, "By the grace of my 
Savior I will. Please support me by your prayers." 

This they cheerfully agreed to do. And as she left 

them to join her companion, she heard them say, "God 

bless you, Esther, the Royal Teacher." "Esther, the 

Royal Teacher." These words rang and rang repeatedly 

2 9 



10 ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 

in her ears. "Why did they call me such? What does 
it mean? I, poor, unworthy Esther, to be called the 
Royal Teacher. They surely have a too exalted 
opinion of me. But by His grace I shall do my best." 
The more she thought on these words the more she felt 
its import and weight of responsibility. "I shall, at 
least, try to merit that title, but much rather hear my 
Master say, 'she has done the best she could.' Class 
Number 10. I am responsible to my Savior for this 
class." 

Her first desire was to become acquainted with each 
member of the class; to inquire into their dispositions; 
to learn of their habits, and their abilities. She had 
some knowledge of the class and that it consisted of five 
promising girls of twelve years and upwards, and of 
varied dispositions. 

It had been the intention of Mr. Sigler not to make 
public the name of the permanent teacher of Class No. 10 
before the next session; but several of the girls became 
restless and thought of leaving the school. On hearing 
of this he called on a member of the class and said, 
"We have found a Royal Teacher for your class. All be 
in your seats next Lord's day when I shall make you 
acquainted." 

"0, dear Superintendent, do please tell me who she 
is," begged the pupil. "Will we like her? Is she 
pretty? Can she tell nice stories? Does she dress 
stylish? Does she read the latest magazines? Do 
please tell me." 

"I really ought not to tell you, but I think I will do 
this." He assured her, "I will have your class to meet 
at my home on Thursday evening to tea, the guests of 
Mrs. Sigler and myself." 



ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 11 

"0, Mr. Sigler, that will be just too grand for any- 
thing. Will our new teacher be there also? I hope she 
will," the girl asked. 

" Certainly, my child, if it is possible for her to be 
present. Please invite the class, and I shall invite your 
Royal Teacher." 

That day, long before the Winter sun sank behind 
the snow-covered hills, every member of the class was 
on tip-toe of expectation and desired to meet their new 
teacher. 

Such a guessing time. One guessed one person, 
another quite a different person, and such a wondering — 
some wondered how she looked, or dressed, or talked, or 
whether she was pretty, or just as other ordinary teachers, 
or ugly as blue mud. "I just wonder how she puts up 
her hair," exlcaimed one. "Why didn't you ask every- 
thing imaginable about her?" 

"I did," the girl replied. "He simply said, 'Wait 
until Thursday evening. Come and you will become 
acquainted.' So, girls, all we can do is to wait." 

The Superintendent informed Esther of the appoint- 
ment for Thursday evening, and requested her to be 
present unless unavoidably detained. 

"God permitting, I'll be there," she assured him. It 
was agreed, for a purpose, that she should arrive a short 
time after the class arrived. 

Thursday came, and so did five hopeful, cheerful, 
jovial girls. They had arrived somewhat before the 
time appointed, and were greeted very courteously by 
both the Superintendent and his wife. 

"Has our Royal Teacher arrived? How soon will she 
be here? 0, Mrs. Sigler, do please tell us who she is." 
But she could not, for she did not know. 



12 ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 

"Now, girls, let us all be seated in my library," Mr. 
Sigler suggested. "I think your new teacher will arrive 
on the next trolley car." The car was due in five minutes. 
With eager, attentive ears the girls listened to every 
sound. 

"Ah! there it comes," cried one, "I think it will stop." 
Yes it stopped. Mr. Sigler slowly walked down stairs 
and toward the door. A moment later, "whir, urr, urr," 
rang the electric bell. O, how the girls jumped and 
became fidgety. 

Quietly Mr. Sigler ushered Esther Forney into the 
sitting room, where she met Mrs. Sigler. After removing 
her wraps she was escorted to the library, where Mr. 
Sigler exclaimed, "Members of Class No. 10, it gives me 
great pleasure to introduce Miss Esther Forney, the 
Royal Teacher," and then he continued, "Miss Esther, 
this is Dorothy Behney, and this Kate Hoverter, this 
Eleanor Schaner, this Agnes Stover and this little one is 
Irene Snyder. I trust you will now try to improve your 
acquaintanceship and together seek one another's best 
welfare." 

Several of the girls had known Esther real well. One 
of these exclaimed with surprise, "0, Miss Esther, I 
never could have guessed you to be our teacher. I 
thought you ought to be the wife of a preacher, or a 
missionary, but I am real glad that you are willing to 
take us poor little heathen at home under your care." 

A delightful evening was spent and a little planning 
was done for the future good of the class. They actually 
organized with a President and other officers. Each 
member held an office. That evening, when the girls 
returned home, each one felt that Esther was the Royal 
Teacher in reality. 



ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 13 

Esther that evening realized that she had a task on 
hand, a responsibility and an opportunity which meant 
praying, studying and tactful teaching and correct living. 
To teach the lesson week following week was no easy 
task; but how to teach and act so as to win them to their 
Savior was the supreme question that began to press 
upon her soul. She relied strongly on the help from God 
and often she prayed for grace and wisdom. 

On the first day as she appeared before her class she 
acted carefully; the lesson was taught in such a manner 
as to interest her class, yet it seemed that her heart was 
not in the lesson. She did not seek to make any great 
impression. In her soul was concealed a purpose, which 
it was not wise to reveal. It was to win their souls to 
Christ and teach them his holy will. In order to do 
this she needed to study the disposition and temperament 
of each girl. She was anxious to know the real heart of 
each one in order to apply her teaching so as to make the 
best and lasting impression. 

It did not take this wise and tactful teacher long to 
gain a fairly good idea of each girl. There were five 
girls and each so unlike the other as so many potatoes. 
There was Dorothy, a quiet, meditative girl who almost 
counted each word she spoke; then she had Kate, a rest- 
less, giggling, mischievous girl, who, doing her very best, 
could not keep quiet two seconds; there was Eleanor, 
very inquisitive. She asked more questions than the 
other four in a bunch; the next girl was Agnes, a real 
studious girl, who always searched to know whether 
what was said was really true; and last, and in 'size the 
least, was Irene. She was a willing learner, but slow to 
understand. 

Having studied these different dispositions, this Royal 



14 ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 

Teacher next endeavored to learn of the home life of each 
pupil. She knew that the parents of several of the girls 
professed to be Christians. It was to know the real 
home life of each she was bent on to learn. Having this 
object in her mind she visited each pupil. The first 
home she called at was Irene Snyder's. "Dear little 
Irene," she thought after being in her home less than 
fifteen minutes. The mother was a widow, with several 
children of which Irene was the eldest. Much of the 
household duties fell on her. Her attendance in the 
public school was irregular. She, however, was very- 
anxious to learn, yet as she said, "Studying goes so very 
hard; it seems I cannot think." 

Here the Royal Teacher quickly won the heart of the 
mother and her children. Irene was warmly drawn 
toward her new teacher, and the teacher's sympathy at 
once was made known. In this home little was known 
about Christ's great love. 

From her handbag the teacher drew a small Bible and 
read several adapted passages, and for a little while 
talked about the love of God. 

"Miss Forney," exclaimed Mrs. Snyder, "If God loves 
me, why have I to struggle so hard to raise my family?" 

"God moves in a mysterious way," the teacher began. 
"There are some things hard to understand, yet often 
it is for a purpose. Yet I know of persons who are far 
worse situated than you; but much of it was their own 
doing. In your case, it is one which may happen to any. 
The Scriptures tell us ' That all things work together for 
good to them who love the Lord.' Certainly you love 
Jesus, don't you?" 

"Sorry, I do not," sadly replied Mrs. Snyder. 

Miss Forney then spoke of the love of God, and how 



ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 15 

he gave his only begotten Son, who suffered on the 
cross and died in our stead, so that whosoever believes in 
him should have everlasting life. 

Noticing that Irene was an attentive listener, she 
gently turned toward her and asked, "Irene, do you love 
Jesus?" 

"How can I love him," Irene lowly replied. "I didn't 
know that he loved me before you told me. When 
our other teachers said something about Jesus they 
always looked at the other girls, because they were 
better dressed than I was. I didn't think that Jesus 
cared much for the poor people." Then Irene began to 
cry. Esther drew her to her side and with gentle words 
consoled her. "Bless your little heart, Irene, Jesus loves 
you just as much as he loves the greatest and richest 
woman in the world." With these words, and words of 
instruction, the teacher left a happy impression for good. 

When she was ready to leave, the entire little family 
followed her to the door, mother and Irene still softly 
weeping. "0! Miss Esther, can't you tell us more of 
Jesus' love," begged Irene. There, near the door, stood 
the teacher and before her two anxious inquirers wishing 
to learn more about the love of God. Offering to God a 
sigh of prayer for guidance and power, she turned back 
and walked into the little dining room and for a little 
season she read in the gospel, talked a little and then 
knelt and prayed for the fatherless family. 

The time was rapidly passing, yet it was a time 
graciously spent. After urging mother and daughter to 
look to Jesus for salvation and to trust in him, she left. 

"I think," she mused, "I will call to see Eleanor 
Schaner." She knew her parents, who were both 
members of the same church. They were concerned in 



16 ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 

her salvation. Eleanor was in many respects a good 
girl, yet it seems it was impossible to induce her to think 
either about her body or soul's interest. Her father 
used to say, "Eleanor is like a person riding on the fast 
express train. ' Things fly past too rapidly.' It would 
be a telegraph pole, a tree, a telegraph pole, a tree, a 
house, a pole, etc." 

With Eleanor it was a regular rattle-box of rattle 
things attached to a rattle tongue. The teacher knew 
about Eleanor's inquisitive habit, or habit of asking 
trifling questions. She had prepared her mind to get 
ahead of Eleanor by questioning her. She had in her 
mind about a dozen questions which she intended to 
ask the girl. 

"Ting-a-ling! ling!" sounded the door-bell. Quickly 
Eleanor ran to the door and opened it. " Good evening," 
exclaimed the teacher. " Are you well? How is mother? 
How is — 

"0! Miss Forney," Eleanor started in, " Where did 
you get that brown ribbon? What did you pay for it? 
Was it a Christmas present?" 



CHAPTER III. 

Getting in Touch With Her Class. 

"Yes! no! yes! no! a thousand times," replied the 
baffled teacher. "But have you heard about Lydia, the 
purple seller of the City of Thyatira?" 

"No, indeed, I have not," Eleanor quickly replied. 
"Is she dead? Did thieves steal her purple? What 
purple?" 

The tactful teacher kept perfectly mum, and walked 
towards the sewing room where Mrs. Schaner did some 
mending. 

Between these two was held for eight or ten minutes a 
continuous conversation, heedless of Eleanor's rapid 
firing questions about Lydia. The girl grew restless 
waiting to hear about "that Lydia." 

"Please, Miss Esther, do tell me all about that woman, 
won't you?" 

"I shall, my dear Chatterbox, if you will keep as quiet 
as a pine needle." 

Esther promised. 

"A pine needle. What is a pine needle?" Eleanor 
asked. 

"Please, Eleanor, listen. Which do you wish to 
know? About the pine needle, or Lydia?" asked Esther. 

"Both," Eleanor quickly replied. 

"Only one at a time. I will talk to your mother until 
you have decided," Esther said, and then turned to con- 
verse with Mrs. Schaner. For a wonder Eleanor was 
in a deep study for a moment, and then exclaimed: 
"Tell me about Lydia." 

17 



18 ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 

"I shall, but you must not interrupt me," replied 
Esther. 

" I'll try my best not to, even if I must bite my tongue," 
Eleanor assured her. 

Esther related what she knew concerning this splendid, 
prominent woman, merchant of purple; and laid special 
stress on how she attended to the preaching of the great 
Apostle Paul. During more than ten minutes Eleanor 
Schaner was an attentive listener. Once only, did she 
interrupt Esther with, "What were the things she 
attended to?" 

This gave Esther an open door to her scholar's atten- 
tion, and aided her to tell of the wondrous love of Jesus. 
Esther began to realize that she had gained some influ- 
ence over the girl. Eleanor was less inclined to ask so 
many senseless questions, and became more serious. 

Following a short talk, Esther prepared to leave for 
her home. 

"Eleanor," exclaimed Esther, "how would you like to 
be as Lydia?" 

"Very much, Miss Esther, but I couldn't. I wish I 
was as good as she was." Seriously she replied, "Why 
was she baptized?" 

"My dear girl," Esther exclaimed, "the important 
question is how to get right with God, and have a new 
heart and a right spirit. Create in you a new heart. 
He loved you so greatly that he gave Jesus to redeem 
you. I will give you a verse ; memorize it and believe it. 
It is John iii: 16. It is getting late, and I must hasten 
home. Your dear mother and I, before we retire, will 
pray for your salvation. Won't we, Mrs. Schaner?" 

"Certainly I will," her mother replied, as warm tears 
beclouded her eyes. "Not a day for a long time has 
passed without I pray for Eleanor." 



ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 19 

Esther departed for home. After attending to several 
domestic duties she went to her cozy corner in her room, 
and quietly reviewed the work of the evening, and asked 
God's blessing on it. She earnestly prayed for the 
Snyder family and for Eleanor, and for guidance when 
visiting the remaining three girls. 

Dorothy Behney could be visited during an afternoon, 
but the other two girls could be found at home usually 
in the evening. 

All forenoon, next day Miss Esther Forney was busily 
engaged assisting her mother in home duties which were 
many; yet, by some diligence, she found time to make a 
short call in the afternoon at the home of Dorothy. 

It was shortly after the middle of the afternoon when 
Esther stood on the porch of Dorothy's charming home, 
and was reaching to press the button of the electric bell 
when Dorothy sprang up the steps and called, "0! Miss 
Esther, I am very glad you came to see us. Our little 
brother is very sick. I fear he will die. 0! I am so 
sad. I was wishing you would come. Just wait a 
moment, I will hurry and run back in the side entrance 
and let you in by this door." And away she hurried, and 
quickly Esther entered and soon was in the sick room. 

Dorothy's parents professed to be Christians, but of 
the easy sort, or such as worshiped as it was convenient. 
To-day Mrs. Behney was unusually solemn, for she also 
feared that little Bennie would never get well. "The 
doctor shook his head very queerly when he felt Bennie's 
pulse and examined his little tongue," said Mrs. Behney 
in a low tone. 

Miss Forney looked a moment at little Bennie, and 
then with a sweet smile on her face, exclaimed to the 
child, "Is dear little Bennie sick? Bennie will soon get 



20 ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 

well." Then laying her hand gently on his forehead, 
continued to talk: "Bennie is a good little boy; we want 
him in our Sunday-school. Hurry, Bennie, get well." 
As she withdrew her hand the sick boy reached up as if 
to grasp her hand and draw it back. 

Leaning forward she asked, " What does Bennie want?" 

"Oo hans feel good on Bennie's head. It is cold; put 
han on agin." 

Again she laid her cool hand on his forehead, when 
Bennie exclaimed, "Feel good; feel good." 

"The child has a fever," she said. "A cool cloth will 
help him." 

A cool cloth was laid on his forehead, when Bennie 
again said, "Feel good!" Meanwhile Dorothy stood 
nearby as quiet as a statue, meditating. 

A little later Bennie fell asleep; the first in twenty-four 
hours. Quietly Esther moved into another room and 
beckoned Dorothy and her mother to let Bennie rest, 
and they came to where she was. Here she had an 
opportunity to have a heart-to-heart talk with Mrs. 
Behney concerning her own spiritual condition, and the 
need to be right with God if we desire his grace in time 
of need. Meanwhile Dorothy was as silent as a stone, 
apparently in deep and serious thoughts. 

"Come to my side, my quiet little girl; you have 
nothing to say. I wonder what your thoughts are," 
remarked Esther. "Do tell me." 

"I was thinking," she replied, "about Bennie should 
he die. Would I ever meet him in heaven? Then I 
wondered how you can be such a good Christian, and 
what I must do to be good and do good." 

"I don't think that Bennie will die soon. He may 
live to be a man," Esther assured her. "If you wish to 



ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 21 

be good, you need to be born again, as Jesus said to 
Nicodemus. He will give you a new heart. You need 
to look to Jesus, who died on the cross for all your sins." 

For a short time Esther preached a little sermon that 
fitted both mother and daughter. 

" Really, I must go, as mother has her hands crowded 
with work/' remarked Esther, "I will call again to see 
Bennie. I hope he will be well enough so that you can 
be in your class next Lord's day. Please do not worry 
about Bennie; he will recover. But think about your 
own souls. Jesus is willing and able to save you all." 

"0! dear Miss Forney, I wish I had that peace in my 
soul, I believe is in your soul," exclaimed Mrs. Behney 
as fresh tears began to flow. 

"Dear sister, it is yours to have. All you need is a 
little more faith in Jesus. You remember reading in 
Romans v: i," replied Esther. 

"Sorry to say I don't. Will you please tell it?" 
begged Mrs. Behney. 

"It says," answered Esther, "'Therefore being justi- 
fied by faith we have peace with God through our Lord 
Jesus Christ.'" 

"Is that in the Bible? That is blessed news to me," 
exclaimed Mrs. Behney. 

"It is, thank God," replied Esther. "Believe in 
Jesus and you will have this blessed peace. It is peace 
with God and peace in your soul. But I actually need 
to hurry home." 

Scarcely had Esther left the house when Bennie 
opened his eyes, and exclaimed: "Is that good lady not 
here? Is she an angel? Bennie feels better. Will go to 
Sunday-school. More cold things on my head. It's 
good, it's good." Then he fell asleep again. 



22 ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 

That evening when the doctor called, he exclaimed, 
"The child has made a remarkable change for the better. 
Much better than I expected. I cannot account for it." 
Bennie opened his eyes and said, "Good angel lady here, 
and put her hands on Bennie's head, and Bennie got 
better." 

When Esther returned home she found plenty to do. 
For several hours she could not spend a season in prayer 
and meditation; yet while at work she prayed that God 
would bless Bennie's illness to winning the Behney 
family closer to Christ and Dorothy to accept him as 
her Savior. 

It seemed that Esther became more and more deeply 
impressed with the importance of winning her class to 
Christ, and to win them at once. They had arrived at 
the critical age of young womanhood. It depended 
greatly on what their next decision would be whether 
for Christ and his church, or for the world, sin and a 
hopeless future. Now was the time to be fixed in 
purpose. It was now, or perhaps never. "Now is the 
accepted time; now is the day of salvation," forced 
itself upon her soul. And, "whatsoever thy hand findeth 
to do, do it with all thy might," continued to ring in her 
ears. Knowing that that evening of the week she was 
free to make calls, decided, tired as she was, and weather 
very unpleasant, to visit that evening the remaining two 
girls of her class. 

As she was preparing to leave home, her mother 
asked: "Esther, don't you think that the weather is 
too disagreeable for you to venture out?" 

"Yes, mother, I know it is," replied Esther, "yet I feel 
as if I need to go, as it may be my last opportunity before 
the evangelistic services, which will be held next week. 
I will dress warmly and wear my stout overshoes." 



ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 23 

On leaving her warm, comfortable home, and stepping 
on to the pavement, a fierce blast of wind struck her, 
while the fleeting snow almost blinded her. A gloomy 
feeling came over her; and something seemed to say, 
"0, foolish Esther; 0, foolish Esther. It is not fit for a 
sailor to be out, much less a frail woman. Go back; you 
are silly to endanger your health for two girls." She 
was inclined to return; then she thought of what Paul 
said: "The love of Christ constraineth us," and forward 
she went, brave and cheerful. She directed her steps 
toward the home of Kate Hoverter, which was the far- 
thest to go. "Wirr, wirr, wirr," rang the electric bell. 
"I just wonder who that silly goose is out in such a 
storm," cried Kate, loud enough for Miss Forney to 
hear. "Ah! that is the thanks you get for your hero- 
ism," came to her mind. "Jesus came not for thanks, 
but for service," came a gentle thought, for her comfort. 

"Ho! ho! ha! ha! goodness graciousness, Miss Esther, 
what brought you out this awful, disagreeable evening?" 
cried Kate, while giggling and fussing. 

"I came to see you. I just felt I ought to come, so I 
came," calmly replied Esther, although she felt that her 
visit was useless. 

She was taken back into the dining-room where the 
family sat around a table reading and playing games. 
The folks all were pleased that Kate's teacher had called 
to see her. For a short time she joined with the older 
folks discussing the news of the day, and then began to 
inquire concerning church work. 

"We attend church services at the Duke Street church, 
and all our children go to Sunday-school except Kate; 
she is too fidgety to remain at one place long enough to 
get her nerves settled. She, during the last three 



24 ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 

months, has been going to the Green Street Church of 
God Sunday-school. I guess soon she will flit to some 
other school. Maybe not, for I heard her say that ' we 
have a just too grand for anything teacher.' Possibly 
you can hold her. I hope so at any rate." 

Miss Esther said some good words about Kate, such as, 
"Kate is all right. She must explode some of her 
surplus energy, or die, and we don't want her to die so 
young. God may have great work for her." 

Time had arrived for Esther to leave, and bidding the 
family good evening she asked Kate for a moment of 
quiet talk. Kate went with Esther to the door. Here 
Esther told her how she was interested in her soul's 
salvation, and that Jesus loved her, and needed her 
services. "Kate," she added, "are you concerned about 
your soul? I hope, my darling girl, you are." 

Kate giggled a little, and then exclaimed: "Yes, I am. 
I wish I was a Christian like you. I wish I was good, 
but I am so full of mischief, I couldn't keep quiet half a 
second. I simply must giggle or die." 



CHAPTER IV. 

Winning Class No. 10 for Christ. 

"0! don't worry about that, you won't die so easily," 
consolingly replied Esther, the royal teacher. "By and 
by you will overcome it, and become a quiet girl, 
possibly as calm as a sleeping babe." 

"Miss Esther," hopefully cried Kate, "do you think 
I will? 0! won't I be happy then! Then they will not 
call me 'Giggling Kate' and all such disagreeable names." 

"Certainly, Katie, by the grace of Jesus, if you trust 
Him," answered Esther. "Jesus loves you, and He will 
help you. But if you expect His love and grace you 
need to be saved by His precious blood. Katie, my dear 
girl, when I reach home I will pray for you. I want you 
to pray also." 

It was urgent that Esther should leave in order to 
visit the fifth girl in her class. After kissing Kate an 
affectionate good-night, she once again ventured into 
the stormy, snowy weather. Once she thought to go 
direct home and call on Agnes Stover at some other time. 
Yet she heard the wind singing, "Now! now! now! on! 
on! whiste-est." "Yes, now!" she exclaimed. 

Ahring, ring! ahring, ring, rang the bell as Esther 
turned the handle. Mr. Stover who for a wonder, 
stayed at home that evening, answered the bell, and 
cordially greeted Miss Forney, when she informed him 
that she was Agnes' Sunday-school teacher. "Glad to 
meet you, Miss Forney," he remarked. "Agnes has 
been telling us about you. Come back into the sitting- 
room where it is quite comfortable." 
3 25 



26 ESTHER, THE EOYAL TEACHER. 

Esther entered and quickly removed her heavy wraps, 
and then stepped to Agnes' side and gently laid her 
hands on her head and began to question her regarding a 
concordance she was consulting. "What is my in- 
dustrious girl studying now?" she asked. 

"0, I heard some one say that the 'Peace of God 
passeth all understanding/" Agnes replied. "And I am 
searching the Bible to learn what it means and how to 
get it. I am very glad you came, as I have been wishing 
for you to come almost ever since last Sunday. I know 
what ' peace' means, but there is a peace which passeth 
all understanding. It must be wonderful. Please tell 
me something about it." 

"I certainly will, if God helps me," the royal teacher 
assured her. "Let me think a moment. Yes, it is in 
Philippians iv: 7. 'And the peace of God, which passeth 
all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds 
through Jesus Christ.' And then in Romans v: I, we 
read, 'Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace 
with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.' You see my 
dear, how simple the word of God is." 

By this time Agnes' parents became interested in the 
conversation; and were attentive listeners. Esther care- 
fully proclaimed Jesus as the Prince of Peace, and the 
importance of accepting him as the Author of our peace 
and salvation. 

It was growing late and the storm raging in its fury. 
The teacher announced that she must hasten home. 
After inviting Agnes' parents to attend the evangelistic 
services, she drew her pupil to her side and said, "Agnes 
will see me to the door." At the door she said, "Agnes, 
this peace of God is yours, if you will trust him for it. 
I will pray for you;" then pressing a kiss on her forehead, 
she left for an encounter with the storm and for home. 



ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 27 

As Agnes stood at the door looking after her teacher 
while battling with the drifting snow, she became greatly 
impressed with her earnestness. On returning to her 
parents she exclaimed: "No one, but she who has the 
peace of God in her heart, would have ventured out on 
such a night to visit a Sunday-school pupil. Why she 
just waded through the snow drift and against the 
fleeting flakes as if her soul was in perfect peace." 

"No doubt," replied her father, "she has peace in her 
soul, as she read in Isaiah : ' Thou wilt keep him (her in 
this case) in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee, 
because he trusteth in thee.' It certainly is a blessing 
to enjoy such a peace." 

"Yes, father," Agnes exclaimed, "Esther said 'we can 
have this peace if we trust in God.'" 

That night the Stover family retired with thoughts on 
a subject which never before so impressed them, although 
both parents were church members. 

When Esther reached her home she looked more like a 
snowman than a human being. Some one in her home 
assisted her to remove the snow and relieve her of her 
warm coat and overshoes. 

"Are you not half frozen, my darling Esther?" ex- 
claimed her mother. 

"No, I am not, mother dear, I feel as comfortable as 
our Tabby on that rug," replied Esther. "I scarcely 
thought about the weather, for my soul was singing for 
joy, when I felt that by Jesus' help some good had been 
accomplished. I believe that God has heard my prayer 
and is preparing the hearts of my girls." 

The heroism and devotion of Esther as exhibited that 
stormy night began to show themselves. 

"Surely," exclaimed Agnes Stover's mother, after 



28 ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 

Esther had departed, "your teacher is deeply interested 
in Agnes' soul. I feel grieved because of my own 
negligence. I trust Agnes will be also interested in her 
own welfare." 

Agnes was interested and so was her father. The 
following Lord's day, the first time for many months, he 
went to church and was a serious, attentive listener. 

From that evening forward Agnes' mind and soul 
were moved with the one great thought — " peace." 
Carefully she looked up the reference about peace. In 
her diligent search she turned to the prophecy of Isaiah. 
Here she said: " There is no peace, saith the Lord, unto 
the wicked." This she found at ten places in Isaiah. 
This troubled her greatly. Then the thought came, 
"I am not a wicked girl. I never did anything real 
sinful." A gentle spirit said, "Yet, Agnes, don't you 
think it is sinful not to trust and love Jesus? Even if 
you don't do any thing that is sinful, you know that 
you ought to believe in Jesus and love him." 

"But, I think I do love Jesus," she mused. 

"If you love me keep my commandments," came 
vividly to her mind. Quickly she turned to her con- 
cordance, and her eyes fell on I John hi. 23: "This is his 
commandment, that ye believe on the name of his Son 
Jesus Christ." 

"0 Jesus!" she exclaimed, "don't I read thy word? 
Don't I try to keep Sunday rigidly? Don't I obey my 
parents?" 

"Good, my child," came a thought, "but whatsoever 
is not of faith is sin." And, "If you say that you have 
no sin, you deceive yourself and the truth is not in you." 
While reflecting on this she opened the New Testament 
at I John i. 8-10, and read it. Warm tears gathered in 
Agnes' eyes as she felt herself a guilty sinner before God. 



ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 29 

"0 Jesus!" she cried, "I do now confess that I am a 
sinner before thee. Pardon my soul and wash all my 
sins away with thy own precious blood. 0, my blessed 
Savior, grant me that wonderful peace which I can have 
with God through thy holy name." 

That night, Agnes Stover found that peace of God 
which passes all understanding. 

Before the following Lord's day, Agnes hastened to 
the home of her royal teacher, and with a joyful heart 
informed Esther of, "How happy my soul is in Jesus." 

"Praise the Lord, my soul, and all that is within me, 
praise his holy name," Esther exclaimed. 

This indeed was a happy meeting for both. 

"Now, Agnes," exclaimed Esther, "we shall unite our 
efforts and prayers for the salvation of our class." 

The evangelistic services which were conducted by 
Pastor Charles Hoover were in progress, and a number of 
persons old and young had found the peace of God in 
their souls. Esther, while taking part in winning souls in 
a general way was specially concerned for Class No. 10. 
At a testimonial service held just before the preaching 
services a goodly number arose and confessed Christ as 
their Savior. Agnes was one of the number. Strange 
as it may seem, all the girls of Class No. 10 were present. 
Each one was deeply impressed with her experience. 
Before she sat down she turned toward the four girls 
and exclaimed, "Irene, Kate, Eleanor and Dorothy, I 
am praying for you." 

This made a visibly deep impression on all except Kate. 
She sort of giggled and nervously moved about. 

That evening Pastor Hoover, being full of divine 
power, preached a convincing sermon on "Christ died 
for us." He pressed on his audience the sin of rejecting 



30 ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 

Christ, and the loss of those who reject him. The 
pastor then gave an earnest invitation for the unsaved 
souls to come forward and kneel at the altar rail or at a 
bench near by. A number accepted the invitation. 

Miss Esther felt seriously impressed to personally 
talk to the four unsaved girls. The first one she ap- 
proached was Kate Hoverter. "Kate, my dear girl," 
she began, "How is it this evening with your soul? 
Jesus loves you, for he died to save you. Can you 
believe in him as your own personal Savior?" 

"Miss Esther, can't I be saved without going to that 
bench or altar rail? I very much wish I was saved. 
But if I go forward they will say, 'There goes Giggling 
Kate/ and just say nasty things about me." 

"Anywhere you call on Jesus and trust your salvation 
to him and believe he died for your sin, and surrender 
to his will, you will be saved." 

"The going forward is a convenience. Thousands 
have availed themselves of the opportunity and were 
happily saved. Thousands were led to Christ in inquiry 
rooms and are now consecrated Christians. Some, like 
Agnes Stover, have found the peace of God in their 
homes." 

"Let me advise you, my dear girl, never let prejudice, 
nor notions govern your actions. Whenever you are 
real sick of your sins, and sincerely desire to be saved you 
will not let place, nor person, nor time hinder you. 

"Jesus says, 'Come unto me all ye that labor and are 
heavy laden, and I will give you rest.' What is required 
of you is to come to Jesus Christ. Come in spirit and 
in truth, and you will find rest for your soul. Jesus 
came all the way from heaven to Calvary, and the sinner 
must also come to Calvary. Christ came to suffer and 



ESTHEK, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 31 

die to save the lost sinner. In order to be saved, the 
lost sinner must meet Christ at the cross. It is a life 
for a look, by faith, at the Crucified One." 

While Kate was deeply distressed on account of her 
sin, she hesitated and asked to be permitted to think, and, 
actually, to pray. 

It required only a few words of encouragement to 
induce Eleanor Schaner to arise and calmly walk forward 
to the altar railing and kneel there. Her parents were 
members of the church of God at Green Street, and her 
mother had been praying for months for her daughter. 

Ever since Esther related the story of Lydia, the 
purple seller, Eleanor had a desire to be a Christian like 
Lydia. 

While kneeling, Eleanor wept and prayed. Her 
mother with joyful hope in her heart knelt beside her 
daughter, and pointed her to Jesus who paid on the cross 
the ransom price for her salvation. 

Meanwhile Esther the royal teacher gave her attention 
to Dorothy Behney and Irene Snyder. 

"My dear girls," Esther began, "God has been good 
to you." 



CHAPTER V. 
Class No. 10 Won and Instructed in Holy Living. 

"He has restored Dorothy's little brother, Bennie, to 
health and strength. Has he not?" 

" Indeed he has," Dorothy cheerfully replied. 

"God has blessed your mother and you, dear Irene," 
Esther, the Royal Teacher, asserted. "God loves your 
souls, and he now invites you to come to Jesus for pardon 
and salvation. Will you come?" 

Dorothy Behney, who had been concerned for her 
soul ever since Bennie lay- sick and in danger of dying, 
exclaimed, "I will," and with Esther her teacher, by her 
side, walked forward to the side where Eleanor Schaner 
knelt. 

This made a vivid impression on the minds of the two 
girls. Both began to sob. 

"O! Irene," cried Kate Hoverter, "what shall we do 
to be saved? We two are left. Ain't it too sad? There 
is Agnes Stover, a Christian, and now Eleanor and 
Dorothy went forward and we are left. I wish I was a 
Christian." 

"So do I; indeed I do," solemnly replied Irene. "I 
want to be one to-night yet." 

A little later, Miss Esther, noticing that the two girls 
were serious, went to them and exclaimed, "Girls, have 
you decided for Jesus and everlasting life? or for sin and 
eternal death? Jesus gave his blood for your ransom. 
Will you be saved?" 

The two girls were now halting between two purposes. 
It was now or perhaps never. 

32 



ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 33 

The royal, tactful teacher asked, "Will you go with 
me to our class room for a little talk with Jesus?" 

"We will," both replied. 

The teacher quickly called on one of the church officials 
to turn on the light in her class-room, and a few minutes 
later she and the two girls were kneeling side by side in 
the quiet class-room. 

Paul and Silas were scarcely more ready to answer 
the Philippian jailor the question, "What must I do to 
be saved?" than Esther Forney was to tell these two 
silent inquirers to "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ." 

That evening two claimed to have found pardon by 
faith in the Son of God. These were Eleanor Schaner 
who went forward to the altar railing, and Irene Snyder, 
who found peace to her soul in the quietness of the class- 
room. 

The tactful teacher asked the pastor and superin- 
tendent to visit her class. Here they found the Royal 
Teacher surrounded by her class of five girls — three 
rejoicing in their salvation through the blood of God's 
dear Son and two inquiring for the way of salvation. 

"This is a scene worthy the attention of the angels of 
God," exclaimed the elated Superintendent Sigler. 

"Truly! truly! it is," replied Pastor Hoover. 

After speaking words of encouragement to the three 
new converts, and consolation to the two inquirers, the 
little group dismissed with the hope of meeting on the 
following evening. 

The Green Street church and Sunday-school were in 
earnest. And the report that Class Number 10 was 
moved by the Holy Spirit; and how God is blessing the 
personal efforts of Esther, the Royal Teacher, awoke 
other teachers to the sense of their opportunity to win 
their classes to the Savior. 



34 ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 

Meanwhile Esther and the saved three prayed for 
Kate and Dorothy. 

It was on the third Tuesday of the New Year when 
the church bell rung a welcome invitation to all to come 
to the evangelistic services. To Kate and Dorothy, 
never had a church bell ringing such a charm, such a 
warm welcome as it had that evening. Dorothy's 
thought was on the blessed moment when she could 
kneel at the altar railing, while Kate was meditating on 
having "a little talk with Jesus" in the class-room. 

That evening the large audience-room was crowded 
and the members of Class Number 10 sat scattered in the 
room. Kate and Dorothy sat far apart. 

The sermon by Pastor Hoover was on the importance 
of faith in Christ as our only Savior. He urged the need 
of a quick decision, and then followed with a fervent 
invitation to come to Jesus. Persons all over the room 
arose and went forward. Kate looked about to see 
Dorothy. She saw her as she calmly walked up the 
center isle and knelt at the chancel railing. 

" ! how I wish I could follow Dorothy," Kate thought. 
Then she looked toward her class-room. There all was 
dark. "Can't I be saved without going forward?" she 
mused. "The room is dark. 0! what shall I do to be 
saved?" 

"Go forward," something whispered. 

"0, I can't! I can't!" she again mused. 

"Why do you hesitate? If you want to be saved arise 
and come to Jesus. Are you anxious to be saved?" 
came ringing in her mind. 

"0 Jesus help me!" she cried, and the next moment 
Kate was on her feet and pressing her way forward. 
She had gone within eight or ten steps of the railing when 
her courage failed her, and she was in the act of turning 



ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 35 

to a vacant seat when a gentle voice exclaimed, "God 
bless you, Katie. Come this way. Here is a place to 
kneel." Receiving fresh inspiration, Kate quickly ad- 
vanced to the vacant place and knelt there. 

"Dear Katie, thank God that he aided you to take 
this noble stand this night." Then Katie realized that 
her Royal Teacher was by her side. 

That night before the services ended Dorothy and 
Kate were rejoicing in the knowledge of their salvation 
in Jesus. 

Esther gathered her redeemed, blood-washed class in 
a corner of the room, and together with her five girls 
rejoiced. She gave each one a word of counsel and 
encouragement, and suggested the helpfulness of mutual 
sympathy and services. 

While resting in her room that night, Esther meditated 
on the blessed results of personal effort and confidence 
in God. Greatly encouraged was she that God had a 
work for her to do, and that he had owned and blessed 
her efforts in the salvation of Class Number 10. 

Esther, the Royal Teacher, truly had great cause for 
rejoicing. It was a holy joy, full of praise and gratitude 
to God. Following this season of joy she engaged in 
prayer for the strengthening and upbuilding of the saved 
girls. While meditating on these things she thought of 
each girl separately, of each's disposition and home 
advantages. She felt that she need to talk and deal 
with Kate differently than with either Dorothy or Irene, 
and that she need to approach Agnes with "thus saith 
the Lord," while she must be prompt to answer Eleanor's 
questions. Then she prayed for divine guidance, and 
then exclaimed, "Lord, what can I do?" 

"Feed my lambs," flashed as a vision before her. 

"What shall I feed them?" she replied. 



36 



"Feed them my word. c As new-born babes desire 
the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby.' 
My truth is what will build them up," appeared as a 
vision before her. 

"I see," she reflected. "It is my opportunity to 
tenderly care for them, and nourish them as the nursery 
man does his young fruit trees. They are inexperienced 
and unlearned in God's word. It is for me to assist 
them, to encourage, to instruct, and thus develop 
Christian character, or holy living. 

"Along with my pastor and superintendent, I must be 
as a gentle shepherd to Class Number 10; and may Jesus 
my Chief Shepherd ever guide me aright by his gracious 
Holy Spirit." 

It was less than a week later when one of her class 
came to her with a sad tale. "0! Miss Esther," she 
cried, "yesterday some girls called me names, and one 
called to the other, saying, 'I wonder if giggling Kate 
can twist her face to giggle since she has put on a sancti- 
monious face?' It made me angry and I said, '0, you 
foolish girls; go to grass and you will know.' O, dear 
teacher, I fear I have lost my hold on Jesus." 

"May Jesus bless your honest soul," Esther quickly 
replied. "You were only overtaken and made a mis- 
step. Tell Jesus about it. Suppose you fall on the icy 
pavement, how long would you lie there?" 

"0! my, not a second. I would get up just as quickly 
as I could," replied Kate with a smile. 

"Just so, when you slip, or even fall; get up at once," 
said Esther. "Always look to Jesus. When the 
disciples were in distress they called on Jesus, and he 
rescued them. It is a good thing for young Christians 
to read the Bible and pray much. We are instructed to 
watch and pray. Satan, our soul's enemy, as a roaring 



ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 37 

lion goes about to devour us. Sometimes he comes as a 
subtle serpent, or an angel of light. Therefore we must 
be awake and watch." 

Her experience with Kate impressed her with the idea 
to have a little talk with her class on the possibility of 
falling and what to do. 

She had her class meet her in her home for tea and a 
pleasant chat. After tea they retired to Esther's room 
where she gave them a helpful talk on watching, and 
what to do should one slip. " Lately Kate came to me 
greatly distressed because she had made a mistake," 
Esther said, then asked, " Katie, did your little talk 
with Jesus make it right, all right?" 

"Yes, Miss Esther, it did, and it also helped me to 
forgive those girls. I talked to them, and they said 
they were sorry that they had talked so ugly to me. 
0! girls, the grace of God is a most wonderful thing to 
help you to overcome troubles." 

" Teacher," exclaimed one of the girls, "is there any 
danger of a Christian falling?" 

"Babies or young children often fall," replied Esther. 
"Do you know why?" All exclaimed, "Because they 
are not careful." 

"Just so, girls," the Royal Teacher replied. "As long 
as we are watchful there is little danger. In First Cor- 
inthians I read, ' Wherefore let him that thinketh he 
standeth take heed lest he fall.'" 

"Yes! yes! I see," cried Dorothy. "It means such 
persons who are over-confident in themselves who are 
in danger of falling?" 

"Exactly so," replied Esther. 

"The best safeguard against falling is to study the 
blessed Bible, engage often in prayer and watch. And 
then go about doing good. Help others, for while 



J 



38 ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 

assisting others you are helping yourself. Always press 
forward. As long as a bicycle goes forward it will never 
fall." 

"Miss Esther, is going about doing good simply to 
attend church services and prayer-meeting and Endeavor 
meetings and Sunday-school?" asked Eleanor. "The 
other day our next door neighbor wanted to go to the 
store, and she had no one to care for her three small 
children. She asked me whether I would stay with them 
until she returned. Last Summer she asked me, and I 
simply would not do it. I told my mother, I wish our 
neighbors would take care of their own kids. But this 
time I replied, ' Certainly I will ' ; and I went right over, 
and while she was gone, I washed the children, fixed up 
the room, brought coal in, and when she came home she 
found me romping with the little ones. my, you just 
should have seen her. She could scarcely get through 
thanking me. She actually kissed me, and said, 'If 
becoming a Christian makes people so kind and good I 
also would love to be one.'" 

"Kind words and kind acts can never die," Esther 
replied. "True religion makes the soul happy, and 
full of desires to do good to others. It is said of Jesus 
'that he went about doing good.' As long as we are 
engaged in the delightful service of Jesus by doing good 
and at the same time try to win some soul to Christ we 
will become strong. In God's word we are also told 'to 
grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and 
Savior Jesus Christ.'" 

"Miss Esther," exclaimed Agnes, "why is it that I am 
not a strong, active Christian as you?" 

"My dear little Agnes," Esther replied, "for the same 
reason that you did not at once grow as tall as I am. In 
Christian life you must grow the same as in physical life." 



CHAPTER VI. 
What Church Shall I Join? 

"It is not supposed that a young Christian can be as 
strong as one who has been in God's church ten, twenty 
and more years, " she continued. " Little children must 
learn to talk, walk and act, and gradually grow and 
develop into manhood. Exactly so must young Chris- 
tians. The child's mind is like a white sheet of paper, 
nothing on it. It is blank. It must be taught things it 
ought to know. As it gets impressions on its mind, it 
will know what to eat, how to act and what to do. 
You, as young Christians, are as babies in Christ Jesus. 
You have little or limited ideas what your life may be, 
and what you ought to do. For the purpose of teaching 
and training young Christians, God gave us his Holy 
Bible. This wonderful book contains God's will, and 
gives us an account of his dealings with his people. 
Now, in order to do God's will it is important that we 
know his will. For this reason we must have teachers." 

"0! how true that is," exclaimed Agnes; "I read the 
other day in Ephesians iv: 11, 12, that 'God gave some 
pastors and teachers, for the perfecting of the saints, 
for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the 
body of Christ.'" 

"Have you noticed in the fourteenth verse what God 
gave pastors and teachers for? " asked Esther, the Royal 
Teacher. 

" Indeed I have," Agnes replied. "That we be no 
more children tossed to and fro, and carried about with 
every wind of doctrine.'" 

39 



40 ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 

"This certainly is clear," exclaimed Esther. "Correct 
teaching, in order to be established, is as important as 
placing a good, solid foundation under a large building. 
I see Dorothy Behney has her Bible open. Dorothy, 
will you please read Hebrews xiii: 9?" 

"Yes, Miss Esther, I will," Dorothy cheerfully ex- 
claimed, and then read, "'Be not carried about with 
divers and strange doctrines, for it is a good thing that 
the heart be established with grace.'" 

"Thank you, Dorothy," exclaimed Esther. "Kindly, 
please read 2 Peter i: 12." 

The young Bible reader quickly turned to the verse 
and read, "'Wherefore I will not be negligent to put 
you always in remembrance of these things, though ye 
know them and be established in the present faith.'" 

"What things?" quickly asked Eleanor Schaner. 

"Things of which Peter wrote," answered Esther, 
"and the things which Jesus and his Apostles taught. 
Dorothy, please read for our edification what Peter 
said." " 

Dorothy, beginning at the first verse, read until she 
finished reading verse eight, when Esther asked her to 
read this verse again. 

"'For if these things be in you, and abound, they 
make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful 
in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.' " 

"Miss Esther," calmly exclaimed Irene Snyder, "I 
was asked by my dear mother whether I am sure that 
I am saved." 

"What did you answer her, my quiet Irene?" asked 
Esther. Irene replied, "I answered that the Bible 
promises me that if I believe in Jesus, the only begotten 
Son of God, I shall have everlasting life. I believed it, 



ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 41 

hence I am saved. I trusted in the promise of God. 
Then the Spirit of God gave witness to my spirit that I 
am a child of God. What more do I need, mother? For 
I know that l the love of God is shed abroad in my heart 
by the Holy Ghost which is given unto me.' I feel in 
my soul that I am a new person. I have a new mind, 
a new heart, a new love, and I feel as if I ought always 
praise Jesus, and go about doing good in his name." 

"Irene! Irene! my darling child," exultingly exclaimed 
Esther, "The Spirit of God surely helped you to answer 
your mother. We read, 'Be ready always to give an 
answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the 
hope that is in you with meekness and fear.' " 

"Miss Esther, what does it mean to be a witness for 
Jesus?" asked Kate Hoverter. 

"Dear Katie, I am very glad you asked this, for I 
wanted to speak about it before we part for the evening," 
replied Esther. "In the Acts we read that Jesus, before 
he ascended into heaven, said to his disciples: 'Ye shall 
be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, 
and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost parts of the 
earth.'" 

"Those who knew Jesus and saw his wonderful life, 
his agonizing death, his glorious resurrection and his 
marvelous ascension, were to tell others, and to preach 
that all this was done for our salvation. And, now, all 
believers in Christ are to be witnesses of what he has 
done for them." 

"I am so glad that I can be a witness for Jesus," 
happily cried Kate, "for 

" 'I love to tell the story 
Of unseen things above, 
Of Jesus and his glory, 
Of Jesus and his love: 



42 



I love to tell the story, 

Because I know 'tis true; 
It satisfies my longings 

As nothing else can do.'" 

Time had arrived to separate, but Esther suggested 
that, "Let us sing this stanza, and bid Katie God's 
blessing on her great mission of witnessing for Jesus. 
This is a privilege every child of God has. Let us, 
wherever and whenever we have opportunity, tell to 
others what Jesus has done for our souls." 

The girls returned to their several homes greatly 
benefitted, and encouraged by the time they had spent 
with their Royal Teacher. 



At several of the services Pastor Hoover extended 
invitations, and urged the young Christians to unite 
with the church. He stated that Jesus Christ had 
established the church, and that on the day of Pentecost, 
when three thousand people believed the preaching of 
the Apostles, they organized themselves into a body or 
church, and later "the Lord added to the church daily 
such as should be saved." From this time on, the pastor 
declared, believers in Christ, everywhere, united with the 
church. The Apostles in their missionary journeys 
organized churches. We read in Acts xiv: 23, that the 
Apostles "ordained them elders in every church." All 
throughout the Acts and many epistles, the church is 
mentioned as a very important and necessary organi- 
zation. The church was called together; officers, such 
as elders and deacons, were ordained to administer the 
churches; letters were written to the churches. Christ's 



ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 43 

last great charge was to the seven churches of Asia. 
The church consists of persons who have been redeemed 
by the blood of Jesus Christ, and have banded together 
for mutual good and God's glory. Church organization 
is a positive necessity for the establishment of Christ's 
kingdom, for the spread of the gospel, for the edifying 
of God's children. God ordained, and by his Holy 
Spirit sanctioned the uniting in one body, or church, all 
his believers. 

In the very nature of the work of God and for the 
propagation of his gospel it is absolutely necessary that 
churches be organized, and that every child of God be a 
member of the church. 

A person who holds aloof from the church cannot be 
relied upon. He is not affiliated with her welfare, is 
indifferent to her interests, and is a failure in time of 
struggle. 

He wants to enjoy the benefits and blessings which 
other people work for, but is not willing to work himself 
for it. He reminds me of a man who is not willing to 
help prepare a good dinner, yet is always ready to sit 
up to eat it. 

While Pastor Hoover was discussing on this subject, 
Esther's class sat and listened with great attention. 
Each one saw the reasonableness of the preacher's argu- 
ments and proofs for church fellowship. 

The all-important question in the mind of the class was, 
"What church shall I join?" 

It was an easy matter for Eleanor Schaner to decide. 
Her parents were members of the church of God at Green 
street from her earliest recollection. It was here she 
went to Sunday-school ever since she could walk. 

Miss Esther, while desiring that her class should be a 



44 ESTHER, THE EOYAL TEACHER. 

band of earnest workers and labor together for one 
glorious purpose. Yet she hesitated to use her personal 
influence to induce them to unite with the church of 
which she was a member, unless she could do so through 
conviction by the word of God. 

She was convinced that the church of her choice 
believed, taught and practiced the truth as nearly in 
accord with the Holy Scriptures as any of which she had 
knowledge. She was truly in sympathy and worked in 
harmony with the doctrine of this church. Neverthe- 
less, she was, as she stated to her class when the girls 
came to her with the question, "What church shall I 
join?" 

"Dear girls, I shall cheerfully answer your question 
by seeking to instruct you in God's word. I shall do 
so as our martyred President Lincoln said, 'With malice 
toward none and charity for all/ I shall teach the truth 
as I see the truth. I love the church of God because 
I am convinced that her teaching is as nearly in harmony 
with God's word as any, and nearer than many. We 
are not to teach as Bible truth, traditions of men, nor 
uphold a doctrine because it is historical, or because our 
forefathers taught it." 

"But, Miss Esther, are not all churches alike?" asked 
Agnes. "Are they not all striving for heaven?" 

"Your last question first," replied the teacher. "No 
doubt all are striving for heaven. At least I have 
charity to believe so. But that all churches are alike or 
nearly alike I have reason to doubt. To be alike there 
need to be a similarity; alike in every respect, alike in 
nature, in spirit and in purpose. Jesus so prayed that 
they may be one, as we are. (John xvii: 11.) 

"Now we notice a great dissimilarity. One body 



ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 45 

teaches one thing and another body teaches directly the 
opposite. I read of a church that teaches Christ is the 
Son of God and also of a church that Christ is not the 
Son of God, but simply a good man. I shall not mention 
the many views taught. We want to know what the 
Scriptures teach. This book is an infallible guide. It is 
our duty as well as our privilege to search the Book of 
God." 

"Do you mean to say that your church is right and 
all other churches in error?" asked Kate. 

"No, I do not mean to say so, my dear Katie," replied 
Miss Esther. "I mean to say, and do say that so far 
as I have searched the New Testament I believe that the 
church of which I am a member comes as near the 
teachings of Christ and his Apostles as any and nearer 
than some. I believe that in all churches there is taught 
some excellent truth, and yet there is a grave possibility 
that error has crept in unawares and I fear will continue 
to creep in. It was so in the days of the Apostles." 

"Is it possible that there were divisions in their time? 
and that error was taught?" asked Dorothy. 

"Indeed there were divisions in Paul's time, and error 
was being taught," answered Esther. 

"Will Agnes, who is so quick at finding Bible verses, 
read I Timothy iv: 1,2?" 

"I will, Miss Esther," replied Agnes. "'Now the 
Spirit speaketh expressly that in the latter times some 
shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits 
and doctrines of devils, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having 
their conscience seared with a hot iron." 

Galatians i: 7, "There are some that trouble you, and 
would pervert the gospel of Christ." 

" Then we read of divisions in the church. Please read 
I Corinthians i: 12." 



46 ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 

Agnes read, "'Now this I say that every one of you 
saith, I am of Paul, and I of Apollos, and I of Cephas, 
and I of Christ.'" 

"Paul warns the church against those who teach 
contrary to the word of God. Agnes may now read 
Romans xvi: 17." 

"'Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which 
cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine 
which ye have learned and avoid them.'" 

"You see, girls, if almost at the beginning of the church 
there were such who introduced false teachings, there is 
more danger now. Therefore, the greater necessity to 
carefully search the Scriptures." 



CHAPTER VII. 
Searching the Scriptures With Class No. 10. 

"Let us therefore carefully and prayerfully search 
God's word. Meet me in our class-room to-morrow 
afternoon. All who come bring your Bibles along. 
If you have time look up in your concordance all verses 
referring to the church and write the references in your 
tablets." 

Following a brief conversation, the girls departed for 
their homes. You just should have seen those girls after 
they reached their homes. The sparrows in our yard 
never so eagerly picked up the crumbs as did these 
five girls pick out " Church" in the Bible. 

That afternoon the entire class was in the room 
waiting for Esther, their Royal Teacher. Esther, a 
little before she was to leave her home, was impressed 
that she needed the guidance of the Holy Spirit, so that 
she could correctly instruct her girls. She needed to 
pray. A part of her prayer was, " Blessed Savior, thou 
who hast redeemed me with thine own precious blood, 
and who hast redeemed Class Number 10, will thou let 
thy Holy Spirit guide me in teaching correctly thy will 
and thy truth? Jesus, let it not matter what my view 
is, what I think; but what is thy truth, thy will, thy 
commandment." 

When Esther arrived in the class-room she found five 
girls, each with her Bible, and all eager to know what 
the good book said about the right church. But, before 
beginning, the teacher again offered a short prayer for 

47 



48 ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 

holy guidance, after which she asked, " Girls, have you 
looked up references of the 'church' in your Bibles?" 

"We have, Miss Esther/' replied the class. 

"Now, then, girls, please tell me of what church did 
you read in the New Testament?" 

Quickly they replied, " Church of God, Church of 
Christ, Church of the first-born." 

" Splendid! You certainly must have been looking 
up your subject," cheerfully replied Esther. "Let us, 
now, refer to several passages which make mention of 
the name of the church; later we may see what the New 
Testament says about the church. Agnes Stover, who 
is so handy in quickly turning to the verses, may read as 
you quote them. "Who has the first?" 

"I have," exclaimed Kate Hoverter. "Acts xx: 28." 

Agnes read: "Feed the Church of God, which he 
hath purchased with his own blood." 

After this each of the girls had a passage. One called 
for I Corinthians i : 2, and II Corinthians i : 1. " Unto the 
Church of God which is at Corinth." 

I Corinthians x: 32: "Give none offense, neither to 
the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the Church of 
God." 

I Corinthians xi: 16, says: "Churches of God," and 
verse 22: "Despise ye the Church of God," and in 
chapter xv: 9, "I persecuted the Church of God." 

I Thessalonians xi: 14: "Followers of the Churches 
of God, which in Judea are in Christ Jesus." 

Galatians i: 13: "Beyond measure I persecuted the 
Church of God." 

"0! here," exclaimed one, "it is called in I Timothy 
iii: 15, ' Church of the Living God.' " 

"And here," cried another, "the church is called in 
Romans xvi: 16: 'Churches of Christ/ " 



ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 49 

"And in Hebrews xii: 23, we read: 'Church of the 
First-born/ " 

"Is it not wonderful," exclaimed Dorothy Behney, 
"how many times God's church is named by his name? 
or by the name of his Son?" 

"It certainly is, for surely no one has the absolute 
right to name God's church, but God," began Esther. 
"The Apostles who lived when Christ lived knew the 
mind of God, and always called the church by the name 
which is in harmony with God's will, and in his honor. 
If Christ, who is God, claims the church as "my church," 
he surely knows by what name his church should be 
known. Since we have learned from the Bible that the 
church was known in the early history as the Church of 
God, it is highly proper for us to learn more about the 
church." 

"0, Miss Esther," cried Dorothy Behney, "Who first 
began the church? Do we read of the church in the 
gospels?" 

"Yes, dear, several times the word 'church,' is men- 
tioned in the gospels," Esther assured her. "Please 
read Matthew xvi: 18, 'Upon this rock will I build my 
church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.' 
Here you see that Jesus Christ is the builder, or organizer 
of his own church. He built it on the confession of 
Simon Peter, that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. By 
the word 'build' is meant the organizing or establishing 
of a body of people who believe that Jesus Christ is the 
Son of God, and worship and obey him. These people 
are redeemed by the blood of Christ. Who will read 
Acts xx : 28?" 

"I will," replied Irene Snyder. 

"To feed the Church of God, which he hath pur- 



50 ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 

chased with his own blood." "Any one who believes in 
Jesus as he who died for their sins are considered as 
being purchased with the blood of Christ," continued 
Esther. "Now read I Peter i: 18 and 19. Here you 
learn that we are ' Not redeemed with corruptible things, 
as silver and gold. But with the precious blood of 
Christ,' etc. Now all those people who were redeemed, 
in order for their mutual edification, instruction and 
encouragement, as well as to unitedly worship and 
serve God were organized into a body called the church. 

The church had good men at its head who were to act 
as officers or rulers. These were as we read in Acts xx: 
28, to feed the Church of God. That is to teach them 
God's word so that the church could grow spiritually. 
Please read Ephesians iv: 11, 12." 

" ' And he gave some . . . evangelists. Some pastors 
and teachers ; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work 
of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.' " 

"In Paul's letter to Timothy and Titus, he names these 
officers — elders and deacons." 

"Miss Esther," Eleanor Schaner exclaimed, "the 
church is represented here as a society; but other places 
as a building." 

"Yes," continued Esther, the Royal Teacher, "and 
also as a fold of Christ, a spiritual house, the temple of 
God. This refers chiefly to the nature and office of 
the Church of God. Please read John x: 16." 

"'There shall be one fold and one shepherd.'" 

"0, Miss Esther, that is beautiful; that means that 
Jesus watches over his church as a good shepherd," 
happily exclaimed Irene Snyder. 

"It truly is, and it is also encouraging to know and 
feel that our dear Savior watches over us and provides 
for us," added the Royal Teacher. 



ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 51 

"I can't rightly understand," asked Agnes Stover, 
"how Jesus can be the only one shepherd of only one 
fold when there are so many folds or churches." 

"This is also a mystery to me," replied Esther. "The 
New Testament speaks of the oneness of things: and 
Christ prayed that his followers should be one. Here 
we have one fold, and one shepherd. Suppose we look 
up the word 'one.'" 

All the girls got busy looking for "one," when one 
exclaimed, here is John xvii: 11, end of verse it reads: 
"Holy Father, keep through thine own name those 
whom thou hast given me, that they may be one as we 
are." 

In verses 21, 22, Christ continues his marvelous prayer 
for the oneness or unity of all his followers. Please read 
Galatians iii: 28, last part." Quickly one read, "'For 
ye are all one in Christ Jesus.'" 

"Here is one in Ephesians iv: 5," exclaimed Kate 
Hoverter. "One Lord, one faith and one baptism." 

"To my way of understanding the New Testament, 
and the import of our dear Savior's prayer, made a little 
while before he went into the gloomy garden of Geth- 
samane and the night before his crucifixion, the people 
of God should be one in faith, one in worship and one in 
church name," continued the Royal Teacher. "But 
sin, ignorance, lack of spiritual enlightenment and the 
lack of prayerfully searching the Scriptures have pro- 
duced these divisions." 

"Miss Esther," called Dorothy, "are all those people 
lost, who do not understand the Scriptures as the Church 
of God does?" 

"No! indeed," replied Esther, "we are saved because 
we believe in the Son of God, and so are all people saved 



52 ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 

who believe in him. But the difference is, some get 
nearer the truth and derive greater benefit from it and 
are thus enabled to do more nearly that which pleases 
our dear Savior." 

"You noticed the other evening at the Sewing Circle, 
where we were engaged in making fancy work, those who 
sat farthest from the light had dimmer vision and 
worked harder and accomplished the least. Several 
times our president called out: 'Sisters, please sit closer 
to the light; you can work easier and do better work.' 
Just so it is in studying the will of Jesus the head of the 
church ; we must get close in touch with what the Scrip- 
tures teach. We must sit close to the light, even as 
Mary, sister of Lazarus, who sat at Jesus' feet." 

"It is our duty and privilege to seek all the light from 
God's word we need. Jesus commands us to ' search the 
Scriptures.' We have no right to be satisfied with the 
teachings of a church simply because that church says 
so. It is our business when we hear things taught to do 
as did the Bereans." 

"What did they do?" the girls suddenly asked. 

"Please turn to Acts xvii: 10, 11," said Esther. 

"0! I see," one exclaimed, as she read: "'These were 
more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they 
received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched 
the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so.' " 

"You see, girls, that to search the Scripture, so as to 
learn the actual truth, is called 'more noble' by the 
writer of the Acts," replied Esther. "The Scriptures 
are brim full of God's revealed will, full of commandments 
and full of promises. It may be doubtful whether any 
one has grasped all the good things. 

"We therefore need to diligently seek to know exactly 



ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 53 

what our dear Savior wants us to know in order that we 
do just what he wants us to do. 

"In all his commandments, Christ has an object in 
view. When God commanded Moses to build a taber- 
nacle and said what kind of furniture should be placed 
in it, and what kind of sacrifice should be offered, and 
who should offer it, God had an object in view. 

"Exactly so, Jesus Christ, when he organized hi? 
church, gave it the name he desired and said who 
should constitute his church and what the members of 
his church are expected to do, in order that he may 
establish his kingdom. Is it any wonder then that he 
said, 'If ye love me keep my commandments? ' 

"When your mother has a dress-maker she instructs 
her to make a dress for one child this way and a dress 
for another child that way. The mother knows why she 
wants an article made so and so. It is the dress-maker's 
business to make what mother says. Exactly so, Jesus 
has a right to expect us to obey him." 

"But! but teacher," exclaimed Kate, "my parents 
belong to another church and my dear old grandmother 
who died last Summer was a member of another church. 
Will she suffer any loss because she did not have the 
light we have?" 

"Katie, my dear child," replied Miss Esther, "the 
best answer I can give you is, what I once read in our 
Church Advocate, which was spoken by a minister whose 
parents were dead but had belonged to an entirely 
different church than he did. He said, ' Because I claim 
a clearer insight into the revealed will of God through 
Jesus Christ and his word than my parents possessed 
does not signify that I sit in judgment on them, nor 
consider them condemned for not understanding and 
accepting what I now deem to be important truth.' 



54 ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 

"We are responsible for the light that we have. Yet 
we must not overlook the fact that we are also equally 
responsible for the opportunity to obtain that light. 

"Now, when Jesus and his Apostles called the church, 
1 Church of God,' or ' Church of Christ,' is it not reasonable 
that we should follow his example and do what he did?" 

"It surely is," replied the entire class. 

"Is it not sad that Christians are so divided, and teach 
such different doctrines?" asked Irene Snyder. 



CHAPTER VIII. 

Seeking for More Light by Class Number 10. 

"It certainly is sad," replied Esther, the Royal 
Teacher, to Irene Snyder's question. "It would be 
pleasing to our Savior, if all his followers would unitedly 
work together for the building up of his church and the 
spread of his gospel. There being so many different 
churches, and teaching so many different doctrines and 
each claiming to be found in the Bible, is very confusing; 
and, like in the building of the tower of Babel, it creates 
confusion and rends apart. It embarrasses the great 
work of foreign missions, it causes contentions in families 
and communities, it disturbs the mind of young converts 
and it holds back the progress of Christ's kingdom. 
But it is time for us to return to our homes and assist 
our mothers. Before we close, I wish to ask, 'What 
is the name of the church as recorded in the New Testa- 
ment, from what you have learned?'" 

All exclaimed, "Church of God" or "Church of 
Christ." 

"Miss Esther," called Agnes Stover, "have other 
churches the right to call themselves church of God? " 

"Assuredly they have," replied Esther. "If a number 
of persons purchased with the blood of Jesus Christ, 
unite for the worship of God and for the advancement of 
his kingdom they have the right to call their group 
Church of God." 

"Why don't they?" Agnes continued to ask. 

"This is not for me to say. You need to ask them 
for information," Esther replied. "I wish and pray 
that all God's redeemed people be known by one name." 

55 



56 ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 

"How would it do, Miss Esther, if those different 
churches would name 'God' with the church?" Agnes 
once more asked. "If the Presbyterian Church would 
say, 'Presbyterian Church of God/ the Methodist say, 
'Methodist Church of God,' and so on?" 

"This would be better," the Royal Teacher replied, 
"it would be more definite. Whenever those denomi- 
nations say church they certainly mean the Church of 
God. Some time ago I was attending church services 
elsewhere, when I heard one of our ministers say, after 
he was introduced as a minister of the Church of God, 
'I am glad to address you members of the Methodist 
Church of God.' The Methodists exclaimed aloud, 
'Amen/ I believe it would not be such a great difficulty 
for all churches to include God or Christ in the name. 

"But what is more confusing and embarrassing is the 
teaching of so many doctrines. One denomination 
teaches that baptism may be administered by sprinkling, 
another by immersion, by others any way will do; and 
some teach that baptism is not necessary. Some teach 
that infants and little children must be baptized; others 
teach that only persons who do believe must be baptized; 
while others teach that baptism will save people. 

"There are different opinions regarding the Lord's 
Supper. Then there is feet-washing. Some teach that 
feet-washing is an ordinance and should be observed by 
the church, while others say it is not to be observed, and 
even make light of it. Then there are some who believe 
that Christ will come before the millennium while others 
believe he will come after the millennium. Then there 
are others who say 'it matters not what you believe or 
do, just so your life is right.' Now, if we could all see 
more nearly alike how much better it would be, how 



ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 57 

much good work we could do, and how much more 
pleasing it would be to God." 

"Miss Forney," exclaimed Dorothy Behney, "is 
there a great difference between the teaching of the 
church of God and those who use other names?" 

"In some teachings there is, yet in some we are alike," 
the teacher replied. "The larger number of churches 
believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, that he came 
into this world, and wrought signs and wonders, and 
preached; then suffered and died on the cross for our 
sins, that all are sinners before God; that our sins are 
forgiven when we accept by faith, Christ as our Savior; 
that all believers in Christ receive the Holy Spirit; that 
we should worship God in spirit and in truth, that we 
should live holy lives; that the righteous who die will 
have everlasting life, and the wicked, or unbelievers, 
eternal death; that Jesus Christ will come again and 
that there will be a judgment when the believers and 
unbelievers shall be eternally separated one from the 
other. These are generally believed and taught by the 
church of God." 

"Miss Esther," exclaimed Eleanor Schaner, "some- 
time ago I went with Kate Hoverter to the church her 
parents belong to, when they pray they stand, while at 
our Green Street church we are expected to kneel. 
Which is right?" 

"Well, Eleanor," replied the teacher, "while I prefer 
to kneel when I pray, I also have attended services where 
the congregation stood; and I stood with them and also 
prayed. In the Bible we read of kneeling and standing. 
Jesus in his talk with the woman at the well near Sychar, 
I think, gives the key to correct worship. Please read 
John iv: 23, 24. "But the hour cometh, and now is, 
5 



58 ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 

when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in 
spirit and in truth; for the Father seeketh such to 
worship him. God is a Spirit, and they that worship 
him must worship him in spirit and truth." 

" Girls, I positively must hasten home, as mother has 
her hands brimful of work," exclaimed Esther. "We 
have now searched the Scriptures concerning the church. 
Next Lord's day Pastor Hoover will fellowship a number 
of the recent converts. It is now for each of you to 
decide for yourselves. If you are not fully persuaded 
in your own mind, search the Scriptures." 

"Miss Esther, even if I have decided, but should my 
parents object, what shall I do?" inquired Agnes. 

"First of all, dear Agnes," replied Esther, "make this 
a matter of prayer and ask God to let you see which is 
right. Next study the New Testament on the subject. 
Should you decide to unite with the Green Street church 
of God, speak kindly to your parents about it. If they 
object, do not get excited about it, nor assert your 
independence nor act contrary to their wishes; but 
prayerfully and patiently wait for a favorable time. It 
is natural and reasonable for parents to desire that their 
children become members of their own church. When 
you ask permission to unite with the Green Street 
church of God, and your parents ask you your reason, 
try to kindly tell them. Do nothing rash. Always pray 
and exercise patience. What I suggest you to do I also 
advise each one to do. It is helpful to have your parents' 
consent. 

"Surely we must hasten home. Let us pray for one 
another, and hope in God for the future. If you can, 
all come to the Lord's day morning service." 

A few minutes later each hurried home. 



ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 59 

During the remainder of that week there was much 
use made of Bibles by Class Number 10, and frequently 
members of that class were engaged in secret, yet 
earnest prayer. 

On the day previous to the morning when Pastor 
Charles Hoover was to fellowship a number of believers 
in Christ, he and Superintendent Austin Sigler held a 
consultation about fellowshiping the converts, and 
especially those whose parents were members of other 
denominations. In particular they talked about Class 
Number 10, when the pastor said, "Let Miss Esther 
Forney, the Royal Teacher, instruct that class and all 
will result in what is right." 

"I believe you are right, Pastor Hoover," exclaimed 
the Superintendent. 

Meanwhile the girls asked their parents. The parents 
of several were pleased to know that their daughters were 
leading godly lives, and wished to unite with God's 
people. Their consent was easily obtained. Katie's 
parents were delighted to hear that, for once, she had 
made a decision, and had, longer than usually, stuck to 
one idea. They encouraged her in her decision. 

Dorothy's parents replied to her, " We are glad, indeed, 
to permit you to unite with a church in which is such a 
consecrated Christian as your teacher." 

The parents of Eleanor Schaner were members of the 
Green Street church of God, and gladly gave their 
consent. 

Irene Snyder's widowed mother readily gave her con- 
sent, and grieved because she herself had not begun in 
the right way when her little Irene did. 

The father of Agnes Stover, when asked made some 
objections. "You know, my dear daughter, that that 



60 ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 

church teaches that one must be dipped under the water 
when baptized. They also observe feet-washing. Now 
I never could believe in such things. They make one do 
many things that are unpleasant." 

"Dear papa," Agnes replied, "so far they did not 
make me, nor compel me to do anything. Esther, my 
teacher, said that the service of God is a free-will one; 
that we need to do as we have light and understanding. 
She even did not ask me to unite with the church. 
She simply got us girls to search the Scripture, and 
asked us to obey and follow Jesus." 

"Well, Agnes, let us think about it until near the 
time. When will they fellowship members again?" 

"On Sunday, or as Miss Esther calls it, 'the Lord's 
day/ " Agnes replied. 

"Suppose you speak to mother about it." 

Agnes had a pleasant but earnest talk with her mother 
on the subject. 

On the following Lord's day morning Pastor Hoover 
stated that the following had made application for 
membership with the Green Street church of God. He 
then read the names. But before he had completed the 
list, he paused for nearly a minute and then added: 
"We have here a splendid example of what a prayerful, 
faithful, tactful and patient teacher can do. Less than 
three months ago our good Superintendent Sigler was 
perplexed concerning a class in the Sunday-school that 
was without a regular teacher. This morning I have the 
great joy to read the names of every member of that class 
who have been redeemed by the precious blood of 
God's dear Son, and are as follows: 'Irene Snyder, 
Agnes Stover, Dorothy Behney, Kate Hoverter and 
Eleanor Schaner.' " 



ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 61 

All whose names had been called came forward, until 
a row of applicants extending across the entire room 
stood before the pastor. In addressing the applicants, 
the pastor asked: "Are you willing to take this book — 
the Holy Scripture — as your guide and counsellor? Are 
you willing to obey its teachings and commandments 
in so far as you obtain light and understanding, and are 
you willing to listen and be taught from this, the word 
of God? If so, answer, 'I do.'" 

All in a low, distinct and reverential tone responded, 
"I do." 

On their response, the pastor extended the right hand 
of Christian fellowship to each one, and said: "I extend 
to you my dear brother (or sister) the right hand of 
fellowship, and bid you welcome to all the rights and 
privileges of the Green Street church of God," etc. 

Following a brief charge to the church, and a fervent 
prayer for the new members, the members of the church 
came forward and greeted the newly admitted members. 

There was a deeply solemn, but joyful feeling that 
flowed from soul to soul. Many wept for joy. When 
Esther, the Royal Teacher, advanced to greet her class, 
she embraced each one and wept, and then kissed each 
girl. Several times she, loud enough to be heard, 
praised God for what her eyes had seen and her soul 
enjoyed that Lord's day morning. She resolved that 
morning that she would seek to teach her class all God's 
appointed ways and do as did Aquilla and Priscilla for 
Apollos, " Expound the ways of the Lord more perfectly." 



CHAPTER IX. 
Seeking to Know God's Will. 

The marvelous results of Esther, the Royal Teacher's 
blessed efforts with Class Number 10 began to influence 
other teachers, and incited them to greater zeal and more 
prayerful and tactful teaching. It began to manifest 
itself that many of the scholars in the Green Street 
church of God Sunday-school were concerned for their 
soul's salvation. For quite a number of girls and boys 
of the age of twelve to sixteen and upwards were longing 
for consecrated teachers, as the one of Class Number 10. 
A number made personal requests to be transferred to 
that class. When asked why, the reason given was: 
"Because Miss Esther tried to win her scholars to 
Christ." 

At the close of the morning services, when a large 
number, including all of Class Number 10, were fellow- 
shiped, Pastor Hoover buried with Christ in holy baptism 
more than a score of candidates. 

This solemn and significant, yet delightful scene made 
deep impression on the minds of the girls of Class Number 
10. At home, and even during the afternoon Sunday- 
school session the girls talked about it, and asked Esther 
quite a number of questions on baptism. 

"What shall we do about baptism?" they asked their 
teacher. 

"Search the Holy Scriptures, and seek to know God's 
will," was her reply. "Read all you can find in the 
New Testament on baptism, and at our earliest con- 

62 



ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 63 

venience we shall study to know our blessed Savior's 
will. When we know his will, and we love him, we will 
cheerfully do what he wants us to do." 

"I believe it," cheerfully exclaimed Irene Snyder, 
"For since I gave my heart to Jesus, I love my dear 
mamma more than ever, and I am always anxious to 
know what I can do to please her, and I am also anxious, 
but a hundred times more so, to please my blessed Jesus 
who loved me with an everlasting love and even died on 
the cross for me." 

"So do I believe it," added Dorothy Behney, "for I 
read in John xiv: 15: 'If ye love me keep my command- 
ments.'" 

"Yes," quickly cried Agnes Stover, "I read last 
evening that when the prophet Samuel met King Saul 
returning from a victorious battle against the Amalekites, 
in which Saul disobeyed God's commandment, he said, 
'Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken 
than the fat of rams.'" 

"Where did you read this? I don't remember ever 
reading it," asked Kate Hoverter. 

"In I Samuel xv : 22." 

"Sorry to say, dear girls, but I must hasten up street 
to visit a sick lady on whom I promised to call," Esther 
informed her class, and then added, "Shall we meet 
Thursday evening to seek to know what is our Savior's 
will concerning baptism?" 

"Yes," exclaimed the class. 

"All right, girls," the teacher replied. "Please look 
up every passage in the New|Testament that has the 
word 'baptism' or 'baptize' in it." 

Esther bid each girl an affectionate good-bye and 
departed. She had walked scarcely half a square when 



64 ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 

Eleanor and Irene came to her side, and asked her 
whether some time they would be permitted to go with 
her to visit the poor and sick. 

" Indeed, dear girls, I shall be glad to have you go 
along at some other time," pleasantly replied Esther. 
"This is what I shall wish the class to do. Obedience 
and service is a true child of God's rightful privilege." 

All then returned to their homes, and during every 
spare moment each girl, like so many busy bees, was 
seeking verses on baptism and noted them in her tablet. 

The girls came on Thursday evening nearly half an 
hour before the time, and went direct to their class-room. 
For their benefit the kind janitor turned on the lights in 
their room. 

"Dorothy," called Irene, "have you found many 
verses on baptism?" 

"Many? Indeed I have," Dorothy replied. "I 
never had an idea that the New Testament contained so 
much on this subject. It impressed me that Jesus 
attached great importance to baptism." 

During the next fifteen or twenty minutes these five 
girls, like philosophers, compared their notes on baptism. 

"Are my busy beaver Bible searchers here?" asked 
Esther of the janitor, as she came to the side entrance 
of the school-room. 

"Here! here! bless your royal soul, Miss Esther," he 
assured her. "They have been here fully half an hour. 
I turned on the lights and then, Miss Esther, I never 
heard so much talk on baptism in thirty minutes as I 
heard this evening." 

With this inspiring news, Miss Esther Forney cheer- 
fully entered the class-room, when she was greeted with, 
"0, Miss Esther, we could scarcely wait for you to come; 
we are brimful of verses on baptism." 



ESTHEK, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 65 

Following a short talk and a prayer for guidance, 
Class Number 10, and its Royal Teacher, began to seek 
to know God's will concerning baptism. 

"What have you discovered in the New Testament 
concerning baptism?" she asked. 

"Lots and lots," the class replied in unison. 

"Suppose we begin. Let each one read five refer- 
ences; after which we shall carefully study the word of 
God," suggested Esther. "Let Irene lead off." 

Each one read five references. "Now, let us ask our- 
selves questions on this subject," further suggested the 
Royal Teacher. 

"Miss Esther," cried Agnes, "Is baptism very im- 
portant?" 

"From all account in the New Testament it is," the 
teacher replied. " Let us search the good Book. Let us 
read what the gospel of Matthew says." 

"I have it," called Kate. "Matthew hi: 13-17." 

"Will Katie please read it?" asked Esther. She then 
read. 

"Baptism surely must have some great meaning or 
truth attached to it," said Dorothy in her usual medita- 
tive mood, "because Jesus came all the way from Galilee 
to Jordan to John the Baptist to be baptized. John at 
first did not want to baptize Jesus. But Jesus said, 
'Do it: for it becomes us to fulfil all righteousness/ 
Don't you think Jesus knew what baptism meant? I do. 
I know that God was pleased with Jesus for, 'Lo, a 
voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son in 
whom I am well pleased.'" 

While Dorothy was telling what she thought why 
Jesus was baptized, Eleanor had ready Matthew xxviii: 
19, and then read: "'Go ye therefore, and teach all 



66 ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 

nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, 
and Holy Ghost/ This refers to Mark xvi: 16," she 
added and then read: '"He that belie veth and is baptized 
shall be saved.'" 

" O dear, Miss Esther, I thought that when I believed 
in Jesus I was saved," sadly exclaimed Irene. "Now, 
here I see that I must believe and be baptized before I 
am saved." 

"From this verse it would seem so," Esther replied. 
"Yet the Bible positively teaches that 'Whosoever 
believeth on the Son of God shall not perish, but have 
everlasting life.' Read John iii: 16, also in Acts, tenth 
chapter we read of the salvation of Cornelius and his 
company, how the Holy Spirit fell on them. They were 
saved, but Peter commanded them to be baptized. You 
see that a public confession of Christ by baptism is highly 
important. 

"Jesus was baptized, yet without sin. In Acts 
reference is made about Paul's sins being washed away, 
xxii: 16. Now we read in I John i: 7. "The blood of 
Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." To 
my mind it means that when we are saved by faith in 
Jesus Christ it is highly important that we by baptism 
confess our faith in him." 

"Miss Esther, when I was out West last Summer, 
I heard a preacher tell his congregation that a person's 
sins are not washed away unless they are baptized," 
remarked Agnes. "He claimed that Paul's sins were 
not washed away until after he was baptized." 

"I know," replied Esther, "there are some very good 
people who teach this doctrine. They have several 
verses that seem to favor their doctrine, but the great 
weight of Scripture teaches that we are saved by faith 
in Jesus Christ. 



ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 67 

"If we say that baptism is a means of salvation we set 
aside the importance and value of the blood of Jesus 
Christ which meant agony and suffering and death on 
the cross. We have wandered from the question of the 
importance of baptism." 

"We indeed have," calmly replied Dorothy, "In 
finding baptism in the New Testament I notice that 
baptism closely followed when people believe in Christ." 

"So it does ; my quiet Dorothy," the teacher assured 
her. "Will you please refer to what you mean?" 

"I will, Miss Esther," promised Dorothy. "In Acts 
ii: 41, 'they that gladly received the word were baptized.' 
Then when Philip preached in Samaria we learn from 
chapter viii: 12, 'When they believed Philip preaching 
the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name 
of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and 
women.' I also read in viii : 36 that when Philip preached 
to the Ethiopian eunuch and he believed he exclaimed, 
'See, here is water, what doth hinder me to be baptized. 
Also in x: 48, after Cornelius and company were saved 
Peter 'commanded them to be baptized.'" 

"Miss Esther, I was going to ask you whether I can 
get to heaven without being baptized," Kate said. 
" But since I see such a bunch of verses on the importance 
of baptism I shall not ask it." 

"My dear Katie, I fear thousands of people have asked 
this question," Esther answered. "Baptism is not the 
stairway to heaven, but it is a kingly highway to loving 
obedience and satisfied happiness. Jesus does not love 
* mere servants or slaves,' but he certainly does love those 
who lovingly obey his commandments. Does he not 
say, 'If ye love me keep my commandments?' Such 
questions remind me of the young man whose father 



68 ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 

was rich. The young fellow was anxious to get equal 
share of his father's wealth; but he was too lazy to work. 
He once asked how little he need to do, and yet inherit 
as much as his brothers and sisters. Girls, let me 
impress upon your hearts that every true and loyal 
follower of Jesus is anxious to know what he would have 
us to do, and then cheerfully do it. God desires, and 
has the undisputed right to expect obedience from his 
people. Jesus laid great stress on obedience. Who will 
read Matthew vii: 21?" 

"I will," exclaimed Eleanor. "'Not every one that 
saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom 
of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father 
which is in heaven.'" 

"Who will read I Samuel xv: 22," Esther continued. 

" I will," called Kate. " ' Behold to obey is better than 
sacrifice.'" 

"Agnes will read Hebrews v: 9," the teacher said. 
Agnes read, "' Being made perfect, he becometh the 
author of salvation unto all them that obey him.' " 

"Dorothy may read 1 John ii: 17. "'But he that 
doeth the will of God abideth forever.'" 

"One more; we will ask Irene to read Revelation xx: 
13." "'And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, 
and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in 
them, and they were judged every man according to their 
works.'" 

"Oh, Miss Esther, Miss Esther," cried Kate, "let us 
pray now, that our loving Savior may let us see in his 
word exactly what he would have us to do. I never 
saw it in this light before. I thought all I need to do 
was to believe." 



CHAPTER X. 
Why Class No. 10 Desired to Be Baptized. 

"God bless your soul, my dear Katie Hoverter," 
quickly replied Esther, the Royal Teacher. "Yes, all 
you need to do in order to have salvation is to believe in 
the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior, and what follows 
is what you lovingly and cheerfully will to do. I read 
in ii Timothy i: 9, about Jesus ' Who hath saved us, and 
called us with a holy calling, not according to our works 
(notice this), but according to his own purpose and 
grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the 
world began.' For your benefit, I shall ask Agnes 
Stover to read Philippians xi: 13. " 

Agnes read, "'For it is God which worketh in you 
both to will and to do of his good pleasure.'" 

"Now," exclaimed Esther Forney, "let us engage in 
prayer. It will be helpful for each one of you to offer a 
short prayer. Pray for wisdom and understanding. I 
shall make the closing prayer. This is a splendid 
opportunity to exercise yourselves for public prayer. 
Who will pray first?" 

"I will," exclaimed Katie, and then said: "0 blessed 
Jesus, thou who did redeem me with thy own precious 
blood, will thou open my eyes that I may see what is 
thy good and happy will, and then put in my mind and 
heart a desire to both will and do just what thou will 
have me to do." 

This prayer was followed by Irene Snyder, Eleanor 
Schaner, Dorothy Behney and last by Agnes Stover, 



70 ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 

Miss Esther made the closing prayer. This was a golden 
chain of earnest, honest pleading by a class of young 
inquirers for holy light on God's will, and for a correct, 
submissive spirit for loyal obedience. Prayer of this 
sort reaches the throne of God where light and grace 
abounds. 

Following this chain of prayers it was an easy task 
to look into God's word, which pages were illumined with 
the divine glory. 

"Miss Esther," exclaimed Agnes, "what do you 
suppose my Uncle Harvey said to me?" 

"Indeed, Agnes, I have no idea," replied the teacher, 
rather slowly. " What did he say ? " 

"He said that I ought not to search so much in the 
Bible, as it would disturb my peace of mind, and inter- 
fere with the knowledge I had," Agnes answered. 

"Strange! strange," Esther began. "How truly 
Jesus speaks of such when he said, 'Men love darkness 
rather than light.' Your Uncle Harvey reminds me of a 
story I once read, of a Florentine philosopher, who 
could not be persuaded to look through one of Galileo's 
telescopes, lest he should see something in the heavens 
that would disturb his belief in Aristotle's philosophy. 
The Bible telescope of God's good will is a fearful dis- 
turber of peace to those who content themselves in 
blissful ignorance of what God wants them to be and do." 

"But we are not of that class of philosophers, are we?" 
Dorothy asked. 

"No, indeed, we are not," several replied. 

"Since we have read of the importance of baptism, 
shall we next see what the New Testament says on 
'Why persons should be baptized, or the design of 
baptism? ' Esther suggested. 



ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 71 

"Yes," the class replied, and Dorothy added, "I have 
been wondering why Jesus commanded his followers to 
be baptized. Miss Esther, will you please tell us?" 

"I would cheerfully tell you why, but the New Testa- 
ment is a far better teacher than I am. We will let it 
be our teacher," replied Esther. "What have you read? 
Please read." 

"Miss Esther," called Agnes, "I see here that Paul 
refers to baptism in Romans sixth chapter, it reads, 
'Know ye not that so many of us as were baptized into 
Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore 
we are buried with him by baptism into death ; that like 
as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of 
the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of 
life.'" 

"0, I see," calmly exclaimed Dorothy. "It is to 
represent the death, burial and resurrection of our 
blessed Savior. Is it not beautiful? When people get 
baptized they commemorate our Savior's burial and 
resurrection. Just as on last Memorial Day we strewed 
flowers on grandpa's grave and hung a wreath on the 
tombstone. It reminded us that he had been a brave 
soldier." 

"Miss Esther," asked Irene, "is this one of Jesus' 
methods to cause us often to think of him and draw our 
hearts from ourselves and the world to himself?" 

"Exactly so," Esther replied, "whenever you go to 
your cabinet and you find a letter or a photo of one of 
your friends, it always reminds you of her. Sometimes 
you say, '0 my, here is Aunt Sallie's photo. This re- 
minds me that I ought to write a letter to her.' So when 
we do those things which represent our Savior, it reminds 
us of him and our privileges of loving and worshipping 
him more devotedly." 



72 ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 

"This really seems clear to me that when a person is 
baptized she is made to think of Jesus' death, burial 
and resurrection," declared Agnes. 

"I also read in Colossians ii: 12," said Eleanor, 
"'Buried with him in baptism wherein also ye are risen 
with him through the faith of the operation of God, 
who hath raised him from the dead.' " 

"So have I, so have I," the other girls replied. 

"This seems to me, also that baptism is a sign of our 
deadness to sin and the world and a resurrection to a 
new life in Jesus," said Dorothy. 

"It seems so to me," responded several. 

"My! my!" ejaculated Kate. "It's wonderful how 
charmingly the New Testament opens to our minds our 
dear Savior's will. I once was in a photograph studio 
where I saw the process of bringing out the figures. The 
artist called it developing. So by carefully studying 
God's word his will is developed." 

"Just so true it is to us when one seeks to know God's 
will, by studying his word it will be shown to us," 
answered Esther. "As long as we shut our eyes or sit 
in a dark room we cannot see the beautiful things in 
life, exactly so it is when we fail to look into the word of 
God. Such a person is as a girl who sits in a prison cell 
deprived of her liberty." 

" This reminds me of what I read last week in the 
epistle of James," exclaimed Agnes. "Let me look for it. 
Yes, here it is, James i: 25. 'But whoso looketh into 
the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein he, 
being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the word, 
this man shall be blessed in his deed.' " 

"Miss Esther, who should be baptized?" seriously 
asked Dorothy. 



ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 73 

"This is a very important question, and should be 
carefully answered by the word of God," the Royal 
Teacher declared. 

"I for one am anxious to know," asserted Agnes, 
"for Uncle Harvey says that old persons and also young 
persons and especially little babies and infants are 
proper subjects for baptism." 

"But my papa, who understands the Bible, says only 
believers in Christ are proper persons to be baptized," 
quickly replied Eleanor. 

"Just a minute, girls," calmly exclaimed Esther. 
"We are not anxious to know what either Uncle Harvey, 
nor Eleanor's father has to say. Let us see what the 
New Testament says. Please look up your references." 

"Here is the first I see," cried Kate, as she pressed her 
index finger in Matthew xxviii: 19 and 20, and read, 
"'Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing 
them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of 
the Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all things 
whatsoever I have commanded you.'" 

"Let us, beginning with this command of Jesus, seek 
to learn who are to be baptized," suggested Esther. 

"0, this is easy," Dorothy assured her teacher. 
"Persons who are capable to be taught." 

"Yes," added Irene, "and those who are willing to 
'observe all things I have commanded you.'" 

"Let me read Mark xvi: 16," asked Agnes, who then 
read: "'He that belie veth and is baptized shall be 
saved.' That," added Agnes, "is also clear. It must 
be one who believes the gospel of Christ. 

"Little children and infants cannot understand the 
teaching of Christ nor believe. I just wonder what 
Uncle Harvey thinks of this." 
6 @ 



74 ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 

As Agnes was apt at quickly turning to the verses and 
reading, she was asked to read while the remaining four 
girls called for the verses. Acts xi: 38 was called. "0, 
I see," Agnes replied. "This is in answer to what the 
guilty Jews asked: 'What shall we do?' Then Peter 
said unto them, 'Repent and be baptized.'" 

"The people who were commended were such who 
had guilty consciences and could repent," exclaimed one. 

" Verse 41. 'Then they gladly received his word and 
were baptized.' Isn't that clear? They were persons 
old enough and knew enough to gladly receive the word," 
remarked Irene." 

Agnes next read Acts viii: 12. "'But when they 
believed Philip preaching the things concerning the 
kingdom of God, and in the name of Jesus Christ, they 
were baptized, both men and women." 

Dorothy and Kate both exclaimed at once. "These 
persons believed Philip's preaching before they were 
baptized. Then, just look, it says, 'Both men and 
women,' " added Dorothy. "I wonder why they did not 
baptize infants? " " Maybe it was because they could 
not believe," Irene suggested. 

Agnes read in the same chapter verses 36-38, after 
Philip had preached to the Ethiopian eunuch, "And as 
they went on their way, they came to a certain water, 
and the eunuch said, 'See, here is water, what does 
hinder me to be baptized?' And Philip said, 'If thou 
believest with all thine heart thou mayest.' And he 
answered and said, 'I believe that Jesus Christ is the 
Son of God.'" 

"I see," said Dorothy, "that whether large or small, 
people must believe in Jesus before they are fit for 
baptism." 



ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 75 

Agnes was asked to read the entire tenth chapter of 
Acts. Then she read verse 44, "' While Peter yet spake 
these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which 
heard the word.'" 

"Yes," Agnes exclaimed, "but infants may have been 
present and also heard the word." 

"But infants can't and don't believe the word," 
spoke Eleanor. "I see in xi: 17, 'For as much then as 
God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who 
believed on the Lord Jesus Christ.'" 

"Then in verse 46 we learn that they spake with 
tongues and magnified God," Irene remarked. "No 
wonder Peter commanded them to be baptized for they 
had received the Holy Ghost. I never heard nor read 
that infants nor unbelievers receive the Holy Ghost." 

Agnes read Acts xviii: 8: "'Many of the Corinthians 
hearing, believed and were baptized.'" "I see it more 
and more," exclaimed Kate. "It is first they hear the 
word of God then believe the word of God and be 
baptized. I am convinced that only persons old enough 
to hear and believe God's word are the proper ones to 
be baptized. I for one, by the grace of my dear Savior, 
desire to be baptized." 

"So do I," exclaimed each one, except Agnes. 

"There are some things I cannot understand," she 
said. "There are my parents and Uncle Harvey and 
millions of ministers and other good people who say that 
the New Testament teaches that infants are proper 
subjects for baptism. I have read from Matthew to the 
end of Revelation and I can't find one verse for it. 
I even asked Uncle Harvey about it. He said it was in 
the Bible. But, when I asked him for the verses, he 
replied that he was too busy to look them up. That 



76 ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 

his pastor had taught him so. The last time I asked 
him, he said, 'Don't the Bible say, " Suffer little children 
to come unto me?" I looked it up. All I could read 
was that ' Jesus took them up in his arms, put his hands 
upon them, and blessed them.' — Mark x: 16. Not one 
word of baptism. Yet I need not worry about that, for 
I am not an infant; but a believer in Jesus Christ, and 
I also desire to be baptized. Only I am not clear in my 
mind as to the mode. Some say one must be dipped or 
immersed; others say sprinkle." 

"Dear Agnes, to-morrow evening we will learn what 
the Scriptures say on this," Esther replied. 



CHAPTER XI. 
Class No. 10 Following in Jesus' Footsteps. 

The class met again this evening for the study of 
God's word. Esther, the Royal Teacher, was there 
early and offered a prayer for guidance. Esther was 
pleased to notice that each member of her class had an 
unusually happy countenance. 

"My dear girls, what does all this mean? You are as 
happy as the angels were when they sang their carol on 
the night when Jesus was born in Bethlehem," she 
asked. 

"We are happy, because we are willing to be and to do 
just what our dear Jesus wants us to be and do," was the 
reply. 

"Indeed," said Irene Snyder, "I feel like singing 

'How happy are they who their Savior obey 
And have laid up their treasures above.'" 

A few stanzas were sung, when Dorothy Behney said, 
"Let us sing 'Trust and obey.'" 

"All right, girls, if you feel to sing, sing with the spirit 
and with the understanding," exclaimed the teacher, 
Esther Forney. "Only one stanza and the chorus, as 
we have met to search God's word." 

Six loving souls sang with melody in their hearts : 

"When we walk with the Lord 
In the light of his word, 

77 



78 ESTHEE, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 

m 

What a glory he sheds on our way! 
While we do his good will 
He abides with us still, 

And with all who will trust and obey. 

Trust and obey 

For there's no other way 

To be happy in Jesus 
But to trust and obey." 

" Now for a Bible study," Esther called. " During our 
searching yesterday, to what conclusion did we come as 
to who are proper subjects for baptism?' ' 

"Why, certainly, those who heard the word of God 
and believe it," all agreed. 

"Yesterday Agnes Stover asked, 'How should people 
be baptized according to the New Testament?'" Esther 
stated. "Some say sprinkle, while others say dip, or 
immerse in water. We shall now learn from God's 
word. Who has the first reference? Suppose we see 
how Jesus, our great Leader, was baptized. I notice 
Eleanor Schaner has a passage. Will you, please, read 
it?" 

"I will," Eleanor replied, and read Matthew iii: 16, 
" ' And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway 
out of the water.' " 

"That is strange," exclaimed Agnes, "for Uncle 
Harvey said that Jesus was in the Jordan valley and 
stood near the water. Here it says that Jesus 'went up 
straightway out of the water.'" 

"Miss Esther, may I read Mark i: 9?" asked Kate 
Hoverter. 

"Certainly," Esther assured her. 

Kate read, "'And it came to pass in those days, that 
Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized 
of John in Jordan.' " 



ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 79 

"Here I see Jesus was baptized in Jordan," Agnes 
remarked. 'In' is not 'at, nor near.' I am going to 
show this to Uncle Harvey." 

"Yes," began Kate, "in the next verse it reads, 
'Straightway coming up out of the water.' A person 
cannot come out of the water unless he first went into 
the water." 

"Let us see what it is said of the manner of baptism 
in the Acts," Esther suggested. "What have you, 
Agnes?" 

"Here is about the Ethiopian whom Philip baptized." 
Agnes read Acts viii: 38, 39: '"And he commanded the 
chariot to stand still, and they went down both into the 
water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized 
him. And when they were come up out of the water, 
the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch 
saw him no more, and he went on his way rejoicing.' " 

"Dear teacher, I cannot understand why those two 
men went into the water if sprinkling would have 
answered just as well," Agnes seriously remarked. 

"In John iii: 23, I read," exclaimed Dorothy, " 'John 
also was baptizing in Enon near to Salim because there 
was much water there.' Now, the reason is given why 
he selected Enon, simply ' because there was much water 
there.' It surely requires much more water to dip or 
immerse a person than it does to sprinkle." 

"The other day we studied the purposes of baptism 
and we read about it in Romans, sixth chapter," declared 
Kate. "What does that chapter say on this subject?" 

"Much, indeed," replied Esther. In a few seconds 
all were softly reading that chapter. Esther sat quietly 
waiting for a series of questions. She waited longer 
than she expected, for it seemed as if they read it a dozen 



80 ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 

of times. At last Kate exclaimed, "Just look here, 
baptism is here described as a burial and a resurrection." 

"Yes, I have been impressed with this figure," Agnes 
replied. 

"0 my! how plain it is in verse four. 'Therefore we 
are buried with him by baptism unto death: that as 
Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the 
Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.'" 

"How was Jesus buried?" asked Eleanor. 

"The gospels tell us. Some one read Matthew 
xxvii: 59, 60." "'And when Joseph had taken the 
body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in 
his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock, 
and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre.' " 

"0 my!" cried Irene. "That is plain, Jesus was 
laid in the tomb and the door was closed by rolling a 
big stone over it. When we buried my dear papa they 
lowered his body into a deep grave and then they covered 
it with ground. We then said, 'Our papa is buried in 
the cemetery,' If to be buried with our dear Jesus in 
baptism, then surely a person must be buried in the 
water." 

"Miss Esther," exclaimed Agnes, "In the fifth verse 
I read, 'For if we have been planted together in the 
likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of 
his resurrection.' What does this mean?" 

"Let us see," Esther replied. "Last Spring you 
assisted your mother to plant vegetables. How did you 
doit?" 

"O! that was easy to do," Agnes boldly answered. 
"We made holes in the ground and put the roots of the 
plants in the ground and then covered them, and the 
seed we dropped into holes and covered the seed." 



ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 81 

"When Jesus was dead, what did they do with his 
body?" asked Esther. 

"Why they buried it of course," Agnes quickly replied. 

"0 how beautiful, how charming this lesson of planting 
seems to me!" exclaimed Dorothy. "Now, I think I see 
why we are to be baptized, and why we are to be dipped 
or immersed in water. I just feel like praising my 
blessed Jesus." 

The four girls and their Royal Teacher sat up erect, 
and turned their faces toward Dorothy for an explanation 
for her new vision which was giving her so much joy. 

"Now, dear Dorothy, please tell us of your new 
vision," Esther begged her. 

"I shall; but I cannot tell it exactly as I see it and 
feel it in my soul," Dorothy lovingly replied. 

"Here are two figures, one called baptism and the 
other planting; both meaning a burial or a covering over. 
The one in water and the other in the earth. Now, 
then, as Jesus died and was buried and arose again, so 
have all who believe in Jesus as their dear Savior the 
privilege to be united with Jesus and in the likeness of 
the burial and planting declare our union with him. We 
die with him, we are buried with him. Being bap- 
tized into Jesus Christ is in order to show that we are 
united to him." 

"I then suppose, my darling Dorothy, you mean," 
asked Esther, while tears of joy filled her eyes, "that as 
many as have been baptized into Jesus have become 
more intimately united with him, and are therefore 
united with him in his death, and glorious resurrection. 
The going down into the water and being buried in 
the water a person makes a public acknowledgement 
that she is dead to the world and sin and has a new 
resurrection in union with Christ to a newness of life." 



82 ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 

"That is what I mean, only I can't tell it exactly so," 
Dorothy calmly replied. 

"Dear Dorothy," Esther continued, "the Spirit of 
God surely enlightened your soul. If I were to be 
baptized now, I certainly would realize more of the 
fullness of joy by knowing the real value of being buried 
with Christ in baptism." 

"Miss Esther, if this is true, how then can the christen- 
ing of infants and little children be a correct baptism?" 
asked Agnes. 

"To be candid with you, my dear girl, I cannot answer 
your question," seriously answered the Royal Teacher. 
"Do you know?" 

"I do not," Agnes replied. "If by baptizing a person 
shows her dying with Christ, being buried with him and 
arising with him it must be an act in which she must 
have a loving will to do so. Now to my mind little 
children and infants are not able to do this." 

"I cannot understand as I study my Bible with a 
heart full of charity for all how a Bible student can find 
any precept, command or example for baptizing any but 
believers in Christ or any other way than by a burial 
in water," Esther calmly declared. 

"Why is it that so many Christians don't see it as 
we see it?" again asked Agnes. 

"This is also difficult for me to answer," Esther con- 
fessed. "Yet I think I can give several reasons for it. 
Many people have not heard any other way but to 
christen children and older persons who had not been 
christened in early life, never saw or learned of any 
other way. It has become to them a custom. I know a 
minister who was asked to christen two infants by their 
parents who neither claimed to be Christians nor cared 



83 



to be Christians. When asked, 'Why do you want 
your babies baptized?' replied: 'We don't know except 
our neighbors said that if they are not baptized, and 
they should die, they would be lost.'" 

''Then there are many who scarcely give baptism a 
serious thought, claiming that they are satisfied and 
their conscience does not worry them; they will not 
trouble about it. 

"To some it is the rule of their church and they are 
satisfied. Custom and prejudice has much to do with 
church teaching. Yet there are others who believe as 
we understand the New Testament, but find it difficult 
to break loose from old customs and associations." 

"Dear teacher, surely those who teach differently 
than we understand the New Testament must quote 
some Scripture for it," asserted Kate. 

"Yes, they do," Esther answered. "Who will read 
Matthew ix: 13: "'Go ye and learn what that meaneth. 
I will have mercy and not sacrifice,'" Agnes read, and 
then exclaimed, "I can't see anything about baptism 
here." 

"But," quickly remarked Esther, "It is used to 
prove that we should exercise mercy and not compel 
persons to be immersed in water in cold or disagreeable 
weather. That rather than to compel people to sacrifice 
their comfort it is better to sprinkle or christen them." 

"Why, this seems like, as our high school teacher said, 
'mere sentiment,'" replied Agnes. 

"Then Matthew xix: 14, 15. Will Dorothy read it?" 

"I will," she answered, and then read: "'But Jesus 
said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come 
unto me; for of such is the kingdom of heaven. And 
he laid his hands on them.'" 



84 ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 

"But I don't see where Jesus baptized them, or asked 
his disciples to baptize them," Kate exclaimed. 

"There are some who seek a proof for baptizing 
infants in Colossians ii: 11, because it refers to circum- 
cision and baptism follows in verse 12." 

"Yes, I remember, Uncle Harvey said 'infant baptism 
came in the place of circumcision,'" remarked Agnes. 
"But it does not say so here, even if it did, then infants 
had to be buried in the water." 

"We could talk on this important subject until mid- 
night," Esther declared. "It is now late and we should 
be at home. Before we separate let us pray." 

After the prayer, as they parted for the night, each of 
the five girls declared that they could scarcely await the 
day when they could have the privilege of following the 
footsteps of Jesus in holy baptism. They then sang: 

" Sweet are the promises, kind is the word, 
Dearer far than any message man ever heard; 
Pure was the mind of Christ, sinless I see: 
He the great example is, and pattern for me. 

Where he leads I'll follow, 

Follow all the way; 
Where he leads I'll follow, 

Follow Jesus every day." 



CHAPTER XII. 
A Vision of Submissive Obedience. 

Every member of Class No. 10 was fully persuaded 
what Jesus would have each to do; and all were decided 
to follow their Savior into the water in holy baptism. 

During four or five consecutive Lord's days, either at 
morning or evening service, Pastor Charles Hoover 
buried with Christ in baptism in the large baptismal pool, 
under the pulpit, such believers in Jesus who were willing 
to be baptized. 

At the mid-week prayer-meeting he announced: 
"On next Lord's day at the evening service, Lord willing, 
I will bury with Christ in baptism a number of candidates 
including every member of Class No. 10." 

Tears filled the eyes of many, while several exclaimed, 
"Blessed be the teacher of Class No. 10," and "Praise 
God for Esther, the Royal Teacher." One aged Chris- 
tian, a grandmother of one of the girls, who gave ex- 
pression to her feelings in German, exclaimed: "Mine 
seele preised Gott fur dese guden neuigkeit." (My soul 
praises God for this good news.) 

During this winter the congregation had been unusu- 
ally large; but on the occasion of the baptizing of Class 
No. 10, the great audience room was overcrowded. In 
the audience, at a convenient distance from the pulpit, 
by previous arrangement, sat the parents and near 
relatives of the five girls. 

More than half of the candidates for baptism were 
members of the Sunday-school. It was decided to 

$5 



86 ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 

arrange the occasion in order to harmonize it with 
the Sunday-school interests. The Sunday-school music 
books were used and the officers and teachers of 
the Sunday-school were seated with the pupils of the 
school in the front part of the audience room. In front 
and about the platform were placed potted plants, ferns, 
and hothouse flowers. In artistic design festoons of 
evergreen were arranged over the baptismal pool. A 
number of "By this Sign Conquer" flags were placed 
here and there, while two large American flags flanked 
the view on both sides. 

A dozen little girls from the Junior Department, 
dressed in white, were seated on a raised platform 
opposite to where the candidates were to enter the water. 
These were to sing at the time a member of the school 
reached the stairs that led to the pool. 

Following the opening services, the pastor made a 
short address on the importance of baptism, and com- 
mented on the benefit of winning the young to Christ, 
and of their cheerfulness in obeying their Savior. 

While the congregation sang, "Where he leads I'll 
follow,' ' Pastor Hoover retired to prepare for the bap- 
tismal service. On his return he descended into the 
pool, where he offered a short prayer. And then one 
after another the candidates came forward and were 
assisted by an elder of the church down the steps into 
the pool, where the pastor buried them in baptism. 

At last five girls dressed in white arose with their 
teacher, and calmly walked toward the recess which 
opened on to the platform. All eyes were specially 
directed to them. A stranger who was present, being 
impressed with the sight, asked: "Who are they? and 
why do they advance in a group?" When a person in 



ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 87 

the same pew answered, "It is Class No. 10, and its 
Royal Teacher. She won the class to Christ." 

Modest, calm, and with a smile on each one's face, akin 
to angelic, the five girls with Esther, their Royal Teacher, 
stood by the side of the pool. They were unconscious 
of the gaze of the large congregation, for their souls 
were lost in the love of Christ and their minds fixed on 
him whose death, burial and resurrection, as well as their 
deadness to the world and a resurrection to a newness 
of life in Christ Jesus was to be symbolized in the act of 
being buried in the water. The choir of twelve girls 
sung the last stanza of, "Where he leads I'll follow," and 
then the five white-robed Christians began in a soft and 
sweet melody to sing: 

"Sweet are the promises, kind is the word, 
Dearer far than any message man ever heard; 
Pure was the mind of Christ, sinless I see; 
He the great example is, and pattern for me. 

Where he leads I'll follow, 

Follow all the way; 
Where he leads I'll follow, 
Follow Jesus ev'ry day." 

At the conclusion of the chorus, all over the room 
were seen handkerchiefs used in wiping tears; frequent 
sobs were heard, and then a deep solemn silence pre- 
vailed. The pastor then beckoned one to come forward. 
Irene Snyder, being the smallest, and youngest of the 
five, was led by her Royal Teacher to the step of the 
pool, when the elder assisted her to descend. Before the 
pastor proceeded with the ceremony, he exclaimed, 
"On this occasion, we behold the fruits of a zealous, 
consecrated effort on the part of a royal Sunday-school 



88 ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 

teacher. These five young sisters whose souls were once 
dark in sin, are now willing to be buried with Christ in 
holy baptism. They now show that they have died to 
sin, and their souls have been washed in the precious 
blood of Jesus Christ, and are now whiter than the lily- 
white garments they wear. This is one of the grandest 
visions of submissive obedience I ever witnessed. Great 
is the blessing to these dear girls, yet vastly greater is 
the blessing and grand reward which shall descend from 
the eternal throne of our God upon the head and soul of 
Esther, the Royal Teacher." 

He then asked Irene the solemn question, "Do you 
believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that 
you have been redeemed by his own precious blood?" 

"I do," softly Irene replied. 

The pastor followed with, "Sister Irene, upon the 
confession of your faith in Jesus Christ, I now baptize 
you into the name of the Father, and the Son, and the 
Holy Spirit. Amen." With tender care he then im- 
mersed her entire body in the water. As she arose a 
radiant smile beamed from her face, and in a soft tone 
she exclaimed: "Blessed Jesus, if ever I loved thee, it is 
now." 

She was assisted to the top of the steps, where she 
stood to witness her classmates as they followed her 
example. A number of the children of the primary and 
junior departments on seeing the joy on Irene's face, 
exclaimed, "She looks like an angel." While in the 
congregation sat many who could not restrain the flow 
of tears. 

Dorothy Behney, in her usual quiet, meditative mood, 
next went down into the water. Pastor Hoover asked 
her the usual questions to which she responded with, 



ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 89 

"By the grace of God, I do." " Sister Dorothy, I now 
baptize you into the name of the Father, Son and Holy 
Spirit. Amen," the pastor said. 

As Dorothy came up out of the water, her face almost 
said, "Now I am satisfied in his love." Others joined 
in the weeping, and a deep solemnity prevailed only to 
be disturbed by a childish voice exclaiming, "See, 
mamma, our Dorty is buried in the water. Wen me 
am a big boy me wanter go that way too." It was little 
Benny, Dorothy's brother. 

Next Agnes Stover descended and as she carefully 
stepped from one step to the next she exclaimed, "Blessed 
Jesus, as thou wast buried in the river Jordan, so I cheer- 
fully came here to be buried in this pool. Go thou with 
me." This she exclaimed in a clear, distinct tone, 
which reached the ears of her attentive parents and 
Uncle Harvey who sat in the pew as rigid as a statue, 
barely moving a muscle. 

As she came up out of the water, she again exclaimed, 
as if inspired to do so, "To obey is better than sacrifice, 
and to hearken than the fat of rams." 

Uncle Harvey then turned toward his brother-in-law 
and softly declared, "To be buried with Christ in bap- 
tism is now a new and true revelation to me." 

Kate Hoverter, who once was called "Giggling Kate," 
now merited the name of "Smiling Kate," next descended 
into the pool. As she came up out of the water, her soul 
was filled with a holy laughing. "Happy day! happy 
day!" she exclaimed. 

Katie's parents, who were church members of the 
easy sort, that evening, on beholding the peace and joy 
of their daughter, decided to turn fully to the Lord. 

And now, Eleanor Schaner, who cheerfully yielded 
7 



90 ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 

the privilege to be first to the other girls, went down into 
the pool and was baptized. Eleanor actually shouted for 
joy; and as she stepped onto the platform she embraced 
each of the girls and her teacher, and for fully five 
minutes, as they stood by the side of the pool, there was 
such a vision of submissive obedience and conscious peace 
that it thrilled the entire audience, and some one began 
to sing, "Where he leads I'll follow." 

This was more than Uncle Harvey could endure. He 
turned his face heavenward, while the tears coursed 
down his cheeks, and quietly exclaimed, "Lord Jesus, 
help my faith in thee. I also will follow thee. If a 
little child shall lead them, permit my niece to lead me." 
He quickly arose, walked up to the side of the pool and 
said, "Reverend Hoover, will you please also baptize 
me now?" 

"If you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, I shall," the 
preacher replied. 

"I do," Uncle Harvey declared, in a positive tone, as 
he began to enter the pool. 

A few minutes later Uncle Harvey and the pastor 
stood side by side in the water. Following the usual 
questions concerning his faith in the blood of Christ and 
the knowledge of his salvation, the pastor said, "Brother 
Harvey, on the confession of your faith, and in obedience 
to my Lord's command, I now baptize you into the name 
of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen." 

During this time the great congregation was hushed 
to a solemn silence. Not a sound was heard except the 
words of the baptizer and the candidate, and the subdued 
sound of the motion of the water. 

As the candidates retired to the several rooms to 
change garments, the pastor standing on the edge of the 



ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 91 

platform announced, "In two weeks from this evening, 
the Green Street church will observe the ordinances of 
God's house, or that of washing of one another's feet and 
the blessed Lord's Supper. All whose hearts have been 
touched with the blood of the new covenant are invited 
to take part." After which he pronounced the bene- 
diction, and the congregation was dismissed. 

Slowly, but gradually, the people departed for their 
homes. Here and there stood small groups conversing, 
or greeting one another. One person remarked, "I never 
saw anything like this before." Another said, "I have 
decided to search the Scriptures to see who are to be 
baptized and how." "So am I," replied his neighbor. 

"This sight is certainly one which makes me think how 
it was in Jesus' and his Apostles' times," said an aged 
man. 

Two women who stood well toward the front of the 
room were engaged in conversation concerning the event 
of the evening. One whose heart had been sad for many 
months, but whose face now beamed a satisfied assurance, 
exclaimed, "Six months ago my darling baby Lizzie died. 
She died suddenly. Often I had intended to have her 
christened, but I put it off from time to time. 0, how 
it grieved me. Several of my neighbors reminded me 
that my darling baby was lost, because it was not 
christened. Many tears I shed, many wakeful nights I 
experienced, many pangs of sorrow pierced my soul. 
This evening all is gone. My soul is full of the sweetest 
peace. I now feel assured that I shall in the sweet by 
and by meet her in the presence of him who said, ' Suffer 
little children to come unto me.' I see it now, only 
those who can and do believe are to be baptized. O my 
soul, praise ye the Lord; my Lizzie is safe with thee." 



92 ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 

"True/' replied the other woman. "For a long time 
I had to struggle with this doubt. I asked my pastor. 
He gave me little or no comfort except he said, 'Parents 
are too negligent regarding this matter.' But, thank 
God, when I searched the blessed word of God a stream 
of golden light filled my soul. Now I know if I continue 
to live right I shall some happy day meet my loved ones 
around God's eternal throne." 



CHAPTER XIII. 
Joy of Humility. 

During the greater part of that week those who 
witnessed the sublime baptismal scene of the last Lord's 
day continued to talk about it. It was certain that 
a deep impression had been made and that many self- 
satisfied Christians were inspired to search the New 
Testament about baptism. It was as one said, "I want 
to get my idea on baptism first-handed. I am going to 
study the word of God." 

At the mid-week prayer-meeting, which class No. 10 
was sure to attend, Pastor Hoover again announced the 
ordinance service of Washing of Feet and the Lord's 
Supper. 

"Miss Esther, must we also wash feet?" asked Kate 
Hoverter. 

"No, indeed. Jesus does not care for 'must obedi- 
ence,'" Esther, the Royal Teacher, assured her. "Jesus 
desires only loving obedience to his will as we see it." 

"Can we see his will, if we don't look for it?" asked 
Irene Snyder. 

"We cannot. In order to know what he would have 
us to do we need to read his holy word," Esther informed 
her. 

"When can we meet to search the Scriptures on the 
Washing of Feet?" asked Dorothy Behney. 

"To-morrow evening. Please come to my home. 
Meanwhile search the New Testament," Esther advised 
them. 

93 



94 ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 

In the cozy room of Miss Esther Forney, five anxious 
girls and their teacher sat around the large table above 
which was a soft white gas light. Following a short 
prayer, the teacher asked, "Have you found any scrip- 
ture for feet washing?" 

"We have found it mentioned at two places," ex- 
claimed several. "John xiii: 1-17, and I Timothy 
v: 10." 

"Will Agnes Stover please read what John xiii: says?" 
asked Esther. 

"I will," Agnes replied, and then read the first seven- 
teen verses. 

"Now let us, silently, each one for herself, read slowly 
these seventeen verses; think, consider, study each verse 
and reason for yourself. Let us take our time, at least 
thirty minutes before any one asks a question," Esther 
suggested. 

A glance at that studying class reminded one of so 
many scientists investigating some marvelous phe- 
nomenon or wonder. 

"The thirty minutes are ended," Esther called. 

"0 my!" cried Eleanor Schaner, "It seemed like only 
ten minutes." 

"Miss Esther, that certainly was a great humiliation 
for Jesus, who is our Lord and Master, to wash his 
disciples' feet," Kate declared. 

"But I suppose it was no great humiliation for Jesus. 
For what a person loves to do is no humiliation," quickly 
asserted Irene. 

"Does Jesus expect his followers to wash one another's 
feet?" Dorothy asked. 

"Let us read the word," Esther said. "Please read 
verse fifteen." 



ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 95 

One read, "For I have given you an example, that ye 
should do as I have done to you." 

"What is an example?" asked Kate. 

"Don't you know, Katie?" exclaimed Agnes, "It is a 
pattern, model or copy which is to be followed. You 
know how our school teacher wrote examples on the 
blackboard and told us to copy after. I guess you have 
not forgot how you got your fingers cracked when you 
didn't carefully follow that example in square-root 
several weeks ago." 

"Did Jesus mean that we should do exactly as he did?" 
Irene asked. 

"Why do you ask such a question?" Eleanor ex- 
claimed. 

"Because I am anxious to know; and be fully per- 
suaded in my own mind," Irene replied. 

"That is perfectly right, dear little Irene," the Royal 
Teacher declared. 

"Irene may read the fourteenth verse." Irene read, 
" l If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your 
feet, ye also ought to wash one another's feet.' " Irene 
then added, "This looks as if I ought to do it." 

"You know what verse fourteen reads," Esther said. 
"Now read the seventeenth verse." 

Irene read, " ' If ye know these things, happy are ye 
if ye do them.' " 

"0, Miss Esther," cheerfully exclaimed Dorothy, 
"I see, this is the joy of humility." 

"This is exactly what it is," Agnes replied. "Jesus 
humbled himself for the joy that was set before him." 
In Philippians ii: 8, 9, I read, 'And being found in 
fashion as a man, he humbled himself and became obedi- 
ent unto death, even the death of the cross. Where- 



96 ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 

fore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a 
name which is above every name.' Then I read in 
Hebrews xii: 2, 'Who for the joy that was set before him 
endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down 
at the right hand of the throne of God.'" "That is 
good reasoning," Esther assured Agnes. 

"This is beautiful; and Jesus also tells us in Matthew 
xviii: 4," exclaimed Kate, " ' Whosoever therefore shall 
humble himself as this little child, the same is the 
greatest in the kingdom of heaven.' " 

"Jesus never was ashamed to humble himself," Irene 
declared. 

"Neither will I be! 

'Ashamed of Jesus! that dear Friend, 

On whom my hopes of heaven depend! 
No; when I blush, be this my shame, 
That I no more revere his name.'" 

"I wonder what is puzzling Dorothy. She looks so 
grave," Esther remarked. 

"O, I was just looking at the fifteenth verse. I see it 
now. I see it now," Dorothy repeated. "Jesus, after 
he had washed his disciples' feet, sat down and 
explained to them why he did it. Here he says, ' I have 
given you an example.' Simply one example. Nowhere 
else can I find where Jesus said these words, so he surely 
must be particular about this one example. Then he 
commands us to 'do as I have done to you.'" 

"You see, girls, that our Savior wants us to do exactly 
as he did," said the teacher. "But what example did 
Jesus mean? He speaks of only one example." 

"Don't you know, Miss Esther?" exclaimed two or 
three at once. 



ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 97 

"Yes, I know; but I desire to learn whether you know. 
What example do you think he meant?" the teacher 
asked. 

" Why, of course, the example of washing one another's 
feet," the class responded, and Agnes added, " Jesus 
says something like this, 'I have washed your feet. 
Now go and do as I have done by washing one another's 
feet.'" 

"We shall now look at the example which Jesus asks 
us to follow," Esther suggested. "You know, that on 
the night Judas Iscariot, the traitor, betrayed our Savior, 
Jesus observed the feast of the Passover in an upper room 
in Jerusalem. It was during this feast that Jesus arose 
from the couch on which he leaned and gave to his 
disciples the example to which he referred in verse fifteen. 
Let us slowly read, beginning at the fourth verse and 
read a verse and think over it before we proceed with 
the next verse." 

All read in one accord verse four. 

"I see," exclaimed Kate, "Jesus did four acts. He 
arose, he laid aside his garments, took a towel and 
girded himself. This is as clear as daylight example." 

Next the fifth verse. "Here," added Agnes, "are 
three more acts. He poured water into a basin, then 
washed his disciples' feet, then wiped them with the 
towel. So far we have here seven acts in this example. 
Seven is the number of perfection." 

"Here we have in these two verses the entire example 
Jesus commanded his disciples to follow," declared 
Dorothy. "This is as easy to follow as any rule I ever 
learned in school." 

"Wasn't Peter foolish to object to Jesus washing his 
feet?" asked Irene. 



98 ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 

"I suppose he was, as so many people are to-day un- 
able, or perhaps unwilling, to understand," Esther 
replied. 

"Yes! yes!" cried Eleanor, "In verse seven Jesus 
says, 'What I do thou knowest not now, but thou shalt 
know hereafter,' and in the twelfth verse he asks, 'Know 
ye what I have done to you?' Then he teaches them." 

"Miss Esther, it seems to me that Jesus attached 
great and living importance to feet-washing, when he 
said to Peter, ' If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with 
me,'" Agnes remarked. 

"There is something strange in the manner the Green 
Street church follows this example," exclaimed Eleanor, 
who often saw the ordinances observed. 

"What is it, Eleanor?" asked the teacher. 

"Why Jesus said, 'Do as I have done to you,' " Eleanor 
replied. "Yet I notice that sometimes one person 
washes the feet of all who came forward. This way 
many have their feet washed, but only a few actually do 
what Jesus did. If feet-washing is a sign of humility, 
I don't see it as an humble act when some other person 
does the washing. I must do the washing." 

"0 this is done to hasten the observance, and for 
convenience," the teacher sadly replied. "It actually is 
not following the example." 

"Did Jesus ever do a thing for convenience, or to 
hurry things?" asked Irene. 

"Never! never!" exclaimed the Royal Teacher. 

"Well, I for one," declared Irene, "If I have the 
opportunity, I want to wash the feet of at least several, 
just as Jesus did." 

"So do I," responded the remainder of the class. 

"Since I know that Jesus asks me to do this, it does 



99 



not seem a bit like a burden, nor a task. To me it seems 
as one act of loving obedience," Kate declared. 

"To me it seems to be an easy act," Agnes declared. 
" At one time I thought I would rather desert from Christ 
than do what he commanded in John xiii. But now 
it seems to be my chief joy and delight. O, how truly 
Jesus says in Matthew xi: 30, 'My yoke is easy, and 
my burden is light.' " 

"Miss Esther, why is it that the ordinances of Feet- 
washing and the Lord's Supper are observed at the same 
time and in the same place?" Dorothy asked. 

"Because it is generally believed that Jesus instituted 
both at the same time and in the same room." 

"What do you think a minister once said to my 
father?" asked Eleanor. 

"Hard to tell. What was it?" asked Esther. 

"He said, 'It was funny how some churches try to 
find from so little Bible proof to support feet-washing. 
That it is only in John's gospel they find it," Eleanor 
replied. 

"What did you father say to him?" Esther inquired. 

"Father said, 'It is not half so funny as some try to 
prove infant baptism, when there is not a word in the 
Bible for it.' The preacher walked away, saying, '0, 
there's no use arguing with you,'" Eleanor replied. 

"0, my!" exclaimed one of the girls, "I had no idea 
it was so late. I surely must hurry home." 

After a few words of friendly talk each left for her 
home, and all anxious to do just what Jesus wanted 
them to do. 

It was arranged to hold another Bible study meeting 
during the following week. They again met in their 
teacher's home to search the Scriptures about the 



100 ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 

Lord's Supper. During the time between these two 
meetings nothing unusual transpired. Class No. 10 was 
regular in attendance on the several means of grace and 
were well informed in their Sunday-school lessons. 

The evening for Bible searching had arrived, and the 
class with its Royal Teacher, after each of the girls offered 
a prayer, sat around the big table as at the former 
meeting. 

Agnes was the first to speak on the subject of the 
Lord's Supper. She said, "I have heard or read very 
little about the differences regarding the Lord's Supper." 

" There are different ideas concerning it," replied 
Esther. " Yet very little is said about it. All agree that 
Jesus instituted it. That bread and- the fruit of the 
vine are symbols which represent it. Some claim that 
by a certain ceremonial act these symbols became the 
real flesh and blood of Jesus Christ ; others that after the 
bread and fruit of the vine are consecrated the body and 
blood of Christ are present; while others claim it is to 
represent the suffering and death of Christ, as baptism 
represents his burial and resurrection and the washing 
of feet his humility." 

" What does the church of God teach?" asked Dorothy. 

"Let us see what the Bible says," suggested Esther. 

All were ready with open Bibles, and anxious to learn. 
" What passage have you, Agnes?" Esther asked. 

"I have," Agnes replied, "Matthew xxvi: 26, 27, 'And 
as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, 
and brake it, and gave it to his disciples, and said, 
Take, eat, this is my body. And he took the cup, and 
gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all 
of it; for this is my blood of the new testament, which 
is shed for many for the remission of sins.' Almost the 



ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 101 

same words are used in Mark xiv: 22 and Lukexxii: 19. 
In I Corinthians x: 11 it reads a little different.' ' 

Dorothy replied, "In I Corinthians xi, beginning at 
verse 23, I read what was revealed to the Apostle Paul." 

In one accord teacher and class read to the end of the 
chapter. Then Agnes remarked, "I see in verse 26 the 
object of the Lord's Supper." 

" Please read it, Agnes," the teacher asked. 

Agnes read, "For as often as ye eat this bread, and 
drink this cup, ye do show the Lord's death till he comes." 

The class had a long talk on this subject and then 
departed for their homes. 



CHAPTER XIV. 
His Yoke is Easy, His Burden is Light. 

The Lord's day on which in the evening the Green 
Street church of God was to observe the ordinances of 
Washing of Feet and the Lord's Supper had arrived. 
The usual preparation for the occasion had been ar- 
ranged. At the morning services Pastor Charles Hoover 
preached a searching sermon on self-examination and 
the need of a surrendered life. Several thought the 
sermon too radical, while a few thought he meant several 
of their neighbors. Class No. 10 and its teacher tried to 
benefit by it, and seek a life in closer communion with 
their blessed Savior. 

In the evening a large congregation filled the audience- 
room. By request of Pastor Hoover the chorister and 
organist selected familiar hymns and sung them in a 
very reverential spirit. 

Following the opening services and the announcements, 
the pastor made brief remarks on the ordinances of 
God's house. After which he extended a cheerful invi- 
tation to all exclaiming, "In regard to what we now 
shall do, we invite all of God's redeemed children to feel 
perfectly free to participate in these ordinances. If the 
blood of Jesus Christ has touched your hearts, it is 
your opportunity to come. The brothers and sisters 
will occupy their usual places. I have one special 
request to make, and I believe it is in harmony with 
Christ's example, to give as many as possible the privilege 
to wash the feet of others, and I shall add, let those who 

102 



ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 103 

have washed feet permit those who never have, and 
especially give preference to the young converts." 

During the singing of an old-fashioned hymn, old and 
young came forward, and at once cheerfully participated 
in the washing of feet. One, a friend, remarked to a 
friend: "This certainly is a correct commentary on 
John xiii." 

After the first group had finished and returned to their 
seats, a second invitation was given, when Esther, the 
Royal Teacher, with her class of obedient disciples of 
Christ came forward. Esther had asked the privilege 
for her class to sing a favorite hymn of theirs, or part of it. 
The chorister announced, "Class No. 10 will now sing. 
The congregation, accompanied by the organ, will join 
in the appropriate chorus." The class began to sing: 

"The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want, 
He maketh me down to lie 
In pastures green he leadeth me 
The quiet waters by." 

"All together," called the chorister, as the organ 
sounded. "All together in the chorus." 

"His yoke is easy, his burden is light, 
I've found it so, I've found it so; 
He leadeth me, by day and by night, 
Where living waters flow." 

The class sat down and began to wash one another's 
feet while the congregation sang the remainder of the 
hymn. Lovingly and tenderly the girls girded them- 
selves with the towels and then several began to wash 
the feet of those occupying the front chairs. 

Little Irene washed the feet of an aged saint. The 



104 ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 

white haired sister exclaiming, "Gotter willen seit gethan, 
voir sich neidrig dar wird erhaben" (God's will be done. 
Who so humbles herself shall be exalted.) Kate had the 
pleasure to wash the feet of her Royal Teacher. Agnes, 
Dorothy and Eleanor engaged in the washing of feet. 
Agnes remarked, "This is a correct copy of the example 
our Savior gave us." 

"Indeed it is," replied Eleanor, whose feet Agnes was 
washing. Eleanor washed the feet of her own dear 
mother, who wept with joy. When the second group 
had returned to their seats Pastor Hoover gave another 
invitation. This time a number of young converts who 
hesitated to take part in the ordinance of washing feet, 
were inspired by the royal action of Class No. 10, came 
forward and followed the example given by their adorable 
Redeemer. 

At the conclusion of this part of the service a general 
invitation was extended for "whosoever is washed in the 
blood of the Lamb and wills to show Christ's death until 
he comes again," to come forward. 

Group after group came forward. Following a short 
prayer and the blessing on the emblems by the pastor, 
those who surrounded the table of the Lord then repeated 
in a low tone the Lord's Prayer, and then sang one 
stanza of "Alas and did my Savior bleed." 

The pastor and one of the elders, who also was Super- 
intendent, Austin Sigler, passed the bread and wine, 
Superintendent Sigler made a brief address, in which he 
referred to the burden for souls in the Sunday-school, 
which heavily laid upon his heart during the Christmas 
month, and how his mind was perplexed concerning 
Class No. 10. "Now," he said, "since I witnessed the 
delightful scene of this evening and what the grace of 



ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 105 

Jesus Christ has done, and how by the golden chords of 
holy love the church and Sunday-school, the teachers 
and their classes, are bound together, as one magnificent 
band marching on from conquest to conquest, from 
victory to victory, all advancing heavenward. This is 
indeed a heavenly sight. I feel like crying aloud with 
Simeon of old when he held in his arms the Christ-child. 
'Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace. 
For mine eyes have seen thy salvation.' May Christ's 
love fill your souls with the peace of God which passes 
all understanding." 

"Let us sing," announced the chorister, "'How sweet, 
how heavenly is thy sight."' All sang: 

"How sweet, how heavenly is thy sight, 
When those who love the Lord 
In one another's peace delight, 
And so fulfil his word." 

During the remainder of the communion service many 
yielded to their feelings to weep, others sobbed heavily 
for joy. Now and then aged saints praised God aloud. 

The pastor closed the services by saying: "I desire to 
express my great joy for the delightful services of the 
evening. You have shown your love and devotion to 
God, and manifested your mutual interest in one an- 
other's eternal welfare. 

"I also wish to exhort the young convert on the great 
need of watchfulness, of private ■ prayer and frequent 
reading of God's word. While there are numerous 
snares and pitfalls all along the way of life, so long as 
you keep in close touch with Jesus Christ, the Captain 
of our salvation, there is no great danger of falling. 
Jesus' grace is sufficient for all, yet as the beloved John 
8 



106 ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 

says: 'My little children, sin not,' and again he says, 
"If any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, 
Jesus Christ the righteous/ I now ask the teachers to 
become more interested in your converted scholars and 
seek to aid them in right living and Christian service." 

At the close of the service Class No. 10 gathered about 
the Royal Teacher and exclaimed, "Miss Esther, will 
you please teach us how to live right and engage in 
Christ's service?" 

"Certainly, most cheerfully, by his grace I shall, if 
you desire it," Esther assured them. "Let me think, 
what evening I have which I can take for our meeting. 
Friday evening next. How will that answer?" 

"All right so far as we know," the class replied. 

On Friday evening the class met in Miss Esther 
Forney's cozy room for prayer and study of God's word. 

"Our pastor, on Lord's day evening, warned us 
against snares and pitfalls," exclaimed Dorothy. 

"So he did," replied Kate. "What did he mean?" 

"He referred to the many dangers and allurements of 
sin and the world which are ready to draw Christians 
away from their Savior," Esther informed them. " Read 
God's word, I Timothy iii: 7, last clause." 

Eleanor read, "'And the snare of the devil.'" 

"Ah! I notice," Irene said, "It is the devil, our enemy, 
who tried to trap us." 

"Exactly so," Esther assured her. "See vi: 9." 

"Ha! ha! there is danger for the rich to fall in a snare, 
may be it is good that I am not rich," Dorothy replied. 

"Read II Timothy ii: 26," Esther said. 

"'Snare of the devil' again," said one. 

"What is a pitfall?" asked Eleanor. 

"It is a pit covered over for concealment, so that no 



ESTHER, THE KOYAL TEACHER. 107 

one can see the danger. Men or beast passing over it 
are liable to break through the covering and are trapped/' 
replied Esther. 

" That's it," exclaimed Agnes. " These are some of 
Satan's devices to hide our danger from us." 

"Is it any wonder that the Scriptures are full of 
calling to watch?" exclaimed Kate. 

"No wonder at all. Jesus and his Apostles knew all 
about Satan's tricks," answered Esther. "Let us read 
several warnings; who has any?" 

"I have," replied the girls in unison. 

"Please read," exclaimed Esther. One girl after the 
other read. 

Matthew xxvi: 41 : "Watch and pray, that ye enter not 
into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is 
weak." 

Mark xiii: 33: "Take ye heed, watch and pray." 

I Corinthians x: 12: "Wherefore let him that thinketh 
he standeth take heed lest he fall." 

I Thessalonians v: 6: "Let us not sleep, as do others; 
but let us watch and be sober." 

Luke xxi: 36: "Watch ye therefore and pray always." 

"As each one had a verse, I think we have warning 
enough," exclaimed Esther. "These warnings are like 
so many light-houses along the ocean where danger lies. 
We read much about temptation, that is when induce- 
ments are offered to lead one into sin." 

"I suppose the wise man meant this when he said in 
Proverbs i: 10, 'My son, if sinners entice thee, consent 
thou not.'" 

" That is the idea," Esther continued. " In the epistle 
of James, the first chapter, we learn helpful ideas about 
temptation." 



108 ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 

The girls then carefully read this chapter when one 
asked: "Is it a sin to be tempted? The other day I was 
tempted to slap a girl in the face, but I didn't. Was 
that a sin?" 

"No, my dear child, that was no sin," Esther assured 
her. "Jesus was tempted, yet he did not sin. Read 
James i: 14, 15." 

She read, "'But every man is tempted when he is 
drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then, when 
lust has conceived, it bringeth forth sin.' " 

"I am so glad to know this, for I grieved because I 
had such an evil feeling," she replied. "I now better 
understand the hymn we sometimes sing: 

'Yield not to temptation, 
For yielding is sin.' 

"Yes! yes! I see. Yielding to the temptation is sin. 
I thank my dear Savior. When I felt like slapping 
that girl, I simply said, 'Jesus, don't let me slap her,' 
and I didn't." 

"That surely was a victory for you, my brave little 
soldier," Esther replied. "It is always a good practice 
to keep as far away from temptations as possible." 

"That is nearly like my grandpa once said," exclaimed 
Dorothy. "I asked him if there was danger for me to 
be stung by the bees in his garden. He said, ' No danger 
whatever if you keep far enough from them.'" 

"There is no danger of falling into a pitfall or being 
caught in a trap so long as we keep by the side of our 
Savior," Esther replied. "At the same time it is a 
prudent act to be always on the lookout for danger and 
looking to the Bible for warning. I have a picture of a 
young girl who holds in one hand a looking-glass, and 



ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 109 

in the other a telescope. By the glass she sees in her 
rear a fierce lion, and by the telescope she sees a serpent 
ready to bite her." 

"I read in Proverbs xxii: 3," Agnes exclaimed, " l A 
prudent man forsees the evil.' " 

"You remember what Jesus did when he was tempted 
of Satan," Esther asked. "Let us read in Matthew 
chapter iv. This was after Jesus was baptized in the 
river of Jordan. Each read for herself." 

"0! I see," the girls replied. "He whipped old Satan 
with the word of God." 

"Wasn't that good? Jesus just knew how to strike 
back at his enemy," Kate gleefully exclaimed. 

"You see, girls," said Esther, "the word of God is a 
mighty weapon with which to oppose our enemy." 

Quickly Agnes replied: "In Ephesians vi: 17, I read: 
'Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the 
Spirit, which is the word of God.'" 

"We also need to keep always right with God, and keep 
ourselves rid of the many little sins that fasten unto us 
like so many detestable barnacles. These are more 
dangerous than big sins, as they are not so readily de- 
tected," Esther warned them. 

"0 Miss Esther, what are barnacles?" the class cried. 

"Girls, I am sorry it is too late to describe them this 
evening. At our next meeting I shall. We now need 
to close," Esther replied. 



CHAPTER XV. 

Can the Loed Depend on Us? 

"What are barnacles?" was the question that inter- 
ested the members of Class No. 10. Esther Forney, the 
Royal Teacher, was equally interested, as she was 
anxious to impress upon the tender hearts of the five 
girls a practical lesson. During the session of the 
Sunday-school following their last Friday evening's 
Bible searching meeting, they asked, "Miss Esther, when 
may we have another such a delightful Bible study as 
we had last Friday? and will you then tell us what 
barnacles are?" 

"Let me think a moment," Esther asked. "There is 
mid-week prayer-meeting, Teacher Training Class study. 
One evening I give to our Dorcas Society. Monday 
evening, early, I may find time for an hour's study. 
Seven o'clock. How will that answer?" 

"We shall try to make it answer," several replied. 
"It may be a little after seven," Irene Snyder remarked, 
"as I want to assist mother all I can before I come." 

"Happy is the mother who has such a loving 
daughter," exclaimed Esther. "We will wait a short 
time for you." 

On Monday evening a little before seven, there came 
a "ding a ling, ling" of the door bell. Esther hurried 
to answer the bell when to her surprise the five girls were 
there. 

"Girls! girls!" cried Esther, "you beat the insurance 
collector on being on time. And here is Irene. How 
did you manage to get off so early?" 

110 



ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. Ill 

"Very easily," laughingly replied Irene. "Dorothy 
Behney and Kate Hoverter came over and helped me." 

" That's splendid. The Bible teaches us to bear one 
another's burden," replied Esther. 

Five minutes later, all were seated around the big 
table. After a short time in prayer, the teacher asked 
them to read " verse about," Hebrews xii. "I suppose 
you are anxious to learn a lesson from the barnacles?" 
Esther asked. "We certainly are," the girls replied. 

"Miss Esther, I know what barnacles are," exclaimed 
Agnes Stover, "but I can't see what they have to do 
with young Christians." 

"This is exactly what puzzled me," Eleanor Schaner 
added. 

"I don't know what they are," said Irene. 

"Agnes may tell you what they are; and I'll explain 
what I mean about them," Esther answered. 

"A barnacle is a small shell fish, a little like an oyster. 
The shells are numerous along sea-shores, where they 
stick fast to rocks, timber and ships," Agnes declared. 

"You see, girls," Esther begun, "These little shells 
adhere, or stick fast to the sides and bottom of ships. 
So many gather there until a thick crust is formed on the 
sides and bottom of the vessel that it interferes with the 
swift movement of the vessel. Ships' sides and bottoms, 
like the fish, must be smooth so that they can glide 
through the water. When the ships get too rough by 
these barnacles they are taken to a dry-dock and men 
scrape off these shells." 

"I suppose that is what they did to a ship in Cramp's 
dry-dock in Philadelphia once when cousin Edward took 
me there," exclaimed Kate. "I saw them scraping the 
ship." 



112 ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 

"Well, just so it is with us who are followers of Jesus," 
Esther exclaimed. " Little sins, little negligence of duty, 
little bad habits, little staying from prayer-meeting, 
little slang, little reading of bad books, little cross words 
and a thousand other little things stick fast to our minds 
and hearts until as barnacles they become so numerous 
that they interfere with our progress in Christian life. 
We cannot get going forward. Now, please read 
Hebrews xii: 1, 2." "' Wherefore seeing we also are 
compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses. 
Let us lay aside every weight and the sin which doth 
so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race 
that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and 
finisher of our faith, etc.'" For a few minutes all eyes 
were riveted on these two verses. "Now," exclaimed 
Esther, "if we are to make progress in Christian life we 
must get rid of the little sins in the shape of bad habits 
which like barnacles hold us back. Every weight of 
sin, even if it is only one ounce of sin, bears us down. 
You know how small a clover seed is; but put thousands 
of them together you will have a heap. The other day 
several snow-flakes fell on the railroad bars, and the 
Mogul engine crushed them to a speck. Twenty-four 
hours later a union of these little flakes held fast the 
engine. Just so many little sins if accumulated, will 
hinder the strongest Christian." 

"That's so, Miss Esther," Agnes cried. "I know that 
I have to fight to keep little bad habits from clinging to 
me." 

"How do you get rid of them?" asked Kate. 

"O, that is easy," Agnes assured her. "When any- 
thing comes to my mind which I think is sinful or even 
harmful, I just make up my mind I won't do it, and 



ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 113 

then I have a little talk with Jesus; then I feel as free 
as a bird." 

"I see/' exclaimed Eleanor. "You felt as I read in 
the Psalms cxxiv: 7: 'Our soul is escaped as a bird out 
of the snare of the fowler; the snare is broken, and we 
are escaped." 

"That's it," Agnes replied, "whenever I get rid of a 
bad habit, I feel so light that I could almost fly." 

"Miss Esther, is there any great danger of bad habits 
sticking to us?" asked Dorothy. 

"There is danger," Esther informed her. "Yet so 
long as you watch and pray, study God's word, attend 
religious services and do good, there is no danger. We 
need to endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ ; 
and Jesus will not forsake us. One blessed thing is that 
we can always depend on Jesus." 

"That is true," quietly exclaimed Irene. "But can 
Jesus always depend on us?" 

"I trust, girls, that the Lord can always depend on 
Class No. 10," the Royal Teacher replied. 

"I remember hearing my grandpa singing a hymn," 
Dorothy added. "That had something in it about an 
armour bearer on whom Jesus could depend. I can't 
think what it was." 

"0, I know," Eleanor gleefully replied. "It is the 
chorus of a hymn my grandpa said he heard Mr. Sankey 
sing many years ago. The first line is, l Only an armour- 
bearer, proudly I stand,' and the chorus, if I remember, 
is: 

'Hear ye the battly cry! Forward the call! 
See! see the falling ones! backward they fall. 
Surely the Captain may depend on me, 
Though but an armour-bearer I may be. 
Surely the Captain may depend on me, 
Though but an armour-bearer I may be." 



114 ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 

"Truly, girls, let us so live that we may always be 
ready and willing to 'Forward goP at Christ's com- 
mand," Esther exhorted them. "Yet we have oppor- 
tunity to be even more than an armour-bearer." 

"What can that be?" the class asked. 

"That is being lights of the world and salt of the 
earth," Esther replied. 

"Miss Esther, I am glad you mention this," Agnes 
exclaimed, " for I read in Matthew v : 14 : 'Ye are the light 
of the world/ etc. Does it not mean that our conduct or 
actions is the light? " 

"It is our character, our lives, our being good and 
doing good," Esther exclaimed. "Others see our lives 
and learn by them that we are by the grace of Jesus good, 
and by our good example others are led in the path of 
righteousness. A lighted lamp is to show us our way 
and also to show to others the way to Christ." 

"My! my! ain't that strange?" exclaimed Kate. 
"Then we are like lights, either on the dining-room table, 
or on a street lamp post. Well, I want, God helping me, 
to shine, shine all the time and anywhere and every- 
where." 

"That is a splendid resolution, Katie," replied Esther. 
"I pray that Jesus may help you and that many strug- 
gling seamen may, by your light, be led to Christ our 
mighty Rescuer." 

"Once I was at a Rescue Mission in Philadelphia," 
Kate remarked. "Cousin Edward took me there. I 
saw some rough looking men there, and drunken women, 
and a number of sailors. At this meeting a man got up 
and sang a hymn about 'The lower lights be burning. ' 
When everybody was asked to join in singing: 



ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 115 

'Let the lower lights be burning! 

Send a gleam across the waves; 
Some poor fainting, struggling seaman 
You may rescue, you may save.' 

You just should have seen how several of those sailors 
cried." 

"I wonder how I can show my light," asked Irene. 
"I am so little." 

" Little lights are often real serviceable," Esther 
assured her. "In the deep, dark recesses of the coal 
mines the miners are aided in digging coal by small oil 
lamps they hook to their caps. By the aid of these 
small lights millions of tons of coal are mined. On a 
very dark night a small lantern light is of great service. 
Irene, small as you are, you can let your light shine in 
your little corner. Your mother and your loved ones at 
home, and wherever you go they can see your Christian 
light shine. You may, and we may by our splendid life, 
conduct and service, help others over dark and rugged 
steeps, and draw them away -from sin to our dear Savior. 
Again I pray that Class No. 10 may shine as bright as the 
sun at midday. It is not alone needful for us to shine 
for others, but by our shining we light up our own path- 
way, as a candle that gives light to others, lights its own 
surrounding. While it lives for others it lives for itself, 
and above all we have a sun-light opportunity to live 
for Jesus." 

"That is exactly what I read about Paul in Romans 
xiv: 8," called Agnes. "It says, 'Whether we live, we 
live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the 
Lord; whether we live, therefore, or die, we are the 
Lord's.'" 

"Is this what is meant by a surrendered life, Miss 



116 ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 

Esther?" asked Dorothy. "It is and a holy, happy, 
blessed life it is," Esther assured her. "When we sur- 
render our will to Jesus' will, then we are one in him." 

" Then, no wonder the Apostle Paul was such a devoted 
servant of Jesus Christ," exclaimed Eleanor. "I just 
now opened the Bible at Galatians ii: 20, and I read, 
'I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live; yet not 
I, but Christ liveth in me, and the life which now I live 
in the flesh. I live by the faith of the Son of God, who 
loved me, and gave himself for me." 

"Eleanor, this is certainly a wonderful verse," Esther 
assured her, "and one which we may treasure in our souls 
as the guiding star of our hope in eternal life and the 
return of our dear Jesus. Before we separate let us 
sing a verse or two. It may be our last meeting here 
for a long time. What shall we sing?" 

"Til live for him,'" Class No. 10 replied. All sung: 

"My life, my love I give to thee, 

Thou Lamb of God who died for me; 
Oh, may I ever faithful be, 
My Savior and my God. 

I'll live for him who died for me, 

How happy then my life shall be; 
I'll live for him who died for me, 

My Savior and my God." 

"My darling girls at least for the present we shall not 
have these helpful and delightful opportunities to meet 
to search the Scriptures as we have done. But we shall 
continue to pray for one another, cheer and comfort 
one another, watch and warn one another as we make 
progress in Christian life and advance heavenward," 
Esther Forney, the Royal Teacher said to Class No. 10, 



ESTHER, THE ROYAL TEACHER. 117 

on the evening when other important services for Christ 
called her elsewhere, and she was compelled to say, 
" Good-bye," at least for a time. 

Before the class departed, all exclaimed: "The Lord 
watch between me and thee when we are absent one 
from the other." 

The End. 



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